← The 2003 CIA World Factbook, Volume 2
@2001 Gdp (part 2)
Seychelles
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Morne Seychellois 905 m
Sierra Leone
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m
Singapore
lowest point: Singapore Strait 0 m
highest point: Bukit Timah 166 m
Slovakia
lowest point: Bodrok River 94 m
highest point: Gerlachovsky Stit 2,655 m
Slovenia
lowest point: Adriatic Sea 0 m
highest point: Triglav 2,864 m
Solomon Islands
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Makarakomburu 2,447 m
Somalia
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Shimbiris 2,416 m
South Africa
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Njesuthi 3,408 m
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
lowest point: Atlantic
Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mount Paget (South Georgia) 2,934 m
Southern Ocean
lowest point: -7,235 m at the southern end of the
South Sandwich Trench
highest point: sea level 0 m
Spain
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pico de Teide (Tenerife) on Canary Islands 3,718 m
Spratly Islands
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Southwest Cay 4 m
Sri Lanka
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Pidurutalagala 2,524 m
Sudan
lowest point: Red Sea 0 m
highest point: Kinyeti 3,187 m
Suriname
lowest point: unnamed location in the coastal plain -2 m
highest point: Juliana Top 1,230 m
Svalbard
lowest point: Arctic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Newtontoppen 1,717 m
Swaziland
lowest point: Great Usutu River 21 m
highest point: Emlembe 1,862 m
Sweden
lowest point: reclaimed bay of Lake Hammarsjon, near
Kristianstad -2.41 m
highest point: Kebnekaise 2,111 m
Switzerland
lowest point: Lake Maggiore 195 m
highest point: Dufourspitze 4,634 m
Syria
lowest point: unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m
highest point: Mount Hermon 2,814 m
Taiwan
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Yu Shan 3,952 m
Tajikistan
lowest point: Syr Darya (Sirdaryo) 300 m
highest point: Qullai Ismoili Somoni 7,495 m
Tanzania
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: Kilimanjaro 5,895 m
Thailand
lowest point: Gulf of Thailand 0 m
highest point: Doi Inthanon 2,576 m
Togo
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Agou 986 m
Tokelau
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m
Tonga
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location on Kao Island 1,033 m
Trinidad and Tobago
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: El Cerro del Aripo 940 m
Tromelin Island
lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 7 m
Tunisia
lowest point: Shatt al Gharsah -17 m
highest point: Jebel ech Chambi 1,544 m
Turkey
lowest point: Mediterranean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Ararat 5,166 m
Turkmenistan
lowest point: Vpadina Akchanaya -81 m; note -
Sarygamysh Koli is a lake in northern Turkmenistan with a water
level that fluctuates above and below the elevation of Vpadina
Akchanaya (the lake has dropped as low as -110 m)
highest point: Gora Ayribaba 3,139 m
Turks and Caicos Islands
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Blue Hills 49 m
Tuvalu
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 5 m
Uganda
lowest point: Lake Albert 621 m
highest point: Margherita Peak on Mount Stanley 5,110 m
Ukraine
lowest point: Black Sea 0 m
highest point: Hora Hoverla 2,061 m
United Arab Emirates
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal Yibir 1,527 m
United Kingdom
lowest point: The Fens -4 m
highest point: Ben Nevis 1,343 m
United States
lowest point: Death Valley -86 m
highest point: Mount McKinley 6,194 m
Uruguay
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Cerro Catedral 514 m
Uzbekistan
lowest point: Sariqarnish Kuli -12 m
highest point: Adelunga Toghi 4,301 m
Vanuatu
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Tabwemasana 1,877 m
Venezuela
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Pico Bolivar (La Columna) 5,007 m
Vietnam
lowest point: South China Sea 0 m
highest point: Fan Si Pan 3,144 m
Virgin Islands
lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Crown Mountain 474 m
Wake Island
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: unnamed location 6 m
Wallis and Futuna
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Singavi 765 m
West Bank
lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m
highest point: Tall Asur 1,022 m
Western Sahara
lowest point: Sebjet Tah -55 m
highest point: unnamed location 463 m
World
lowest point: Bentley Subglacial Trench -2,540 m
note: in the oceanic realm, Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench is
the lowest point, lying -10,924 m below the surface of the Pacific
Ocean
highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m (1999 est.)
Yemen
lowest point: Arabian Sea 0 m
highest point: Jabal an Nabi Shu'ayb 3,760 m
Zambia
lowest point: Zambezi river 329 m
highest point: unnamed location in Mafinga Hills 2,301 m
Zimbabwe
lowest point: junction of the Runde and Save rivers 162 m
highest point: Inyangani 2,592 m
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
@2021 Natural hazards
Afghanistan
damaging earthquakes occur in Hindu Kush mountains;
flooding; droughts
Albania
destructive earthquakes; tsunamis occur along southwestern
coast; floods; drought
Algeria
mountainous areas subject to severe earthquakes; mudslides
and floods in rainy season
American Samoa
typhoons common from December to March
Andorra
avalanches
Angola
locally heavy rainfall causes periodic flooding on the plateau
Anguilla
frequent hurricanes and other tropical storms (July to
October)
Antarctica
katabatic (gravity-driven) winds blow coastward from the
high interior; frequent blizzards form near the foot of the plateau;
cyclonic storms form over the ocean and move clockwise along the
coast; volcanism on Deception Island and isolated areas of West
Antarctica; other seismic activity rare and weak; large icebergs may
calve from ice shelf
Antigua and Barbuda
hurricanes and tropical storms (July to
October); periodic droughts
Arctic Ocean
ice islands occasionally break away from northern
Ellesmere Island; icebergs calved from glaciers in western Greenland
and extreme northeastern Canada; permafrost in islands; virtually
ice locked from October to June; ships subject to superstructure
icing from October to May
Argentina
San Miguel de Tucuman and Mendoza areas in the Andes
subject to earthquakes; pamperos are violent windstorms that can
strike the Pampas and northeast; heavy flooding
Armenia
occasionally severe earthquakes; droughts
Aruba
lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt
Ashmore and Cartier Islands
surrounded by shoals and reefs that can
pose maritime hazards
Atlantic Ocean
icebergs common in Davis Strait, Denmark Strait, and
the northwestern Atlantic Ocean from February to August and have
been spotted as far south as Bermuda and the Madeira Islands; ships
subject to superstructure icing in extreme northern Atlantic from
October to May; persistent fog can be a maritime hazard from May to
September; hurricanes (May to December)
Australia
cyclones along the coast; severe droughts; forest fires
Austria
landslides; avalanches; earthquakes
Azerbaijan
droughts
Bahamas, The
hurricanes and other tropical storms cause extensive
flood and wind damage
Bahrain
periodic droughts; dust storms
Baker Island
the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can be
a maritime hazard
Bangladesh
droughts, cyclones; much of the country routinely
inundated during the summer monsoon season
Barbados
infrequent hurricanes; periodic landslides
Bassas da India
maritime hazard since it is usually under water
during high tide and surrounded by reefs; subject to periodic
cyclones
Belarus
NA
Belgium
flooding is a threat in areas of reclaimed coastal land,
protected from the sea by concrete dikes
Belize
frequent, devastating hurricanes (June to November) and
coastal flooding (especially in south)
Benin
hot, dry, dusty harmattan wind may affect north from December
to March
Bermuda
hurricanes (June to November)
Bhutan
violent storms from the Himalayas are the source of the
country's name which translates as Land of the Thunder Dragon;
frequent landslides during the rainy season
Bolivia
flooding in the northeast (March-April)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
destructive earthquakes
Botswana
periodic droughts; seasonal August winds blow from the
west, carrying sand and dust across the country, which can obscure
visibility
Bouvet Island
NA
Brazil
recurring droughts in northeast; floods and occasional frost
in south
British Indian Ocean Territory
NA
British Virgin Islands
hurricanes and tropical storms (July to
October)
Brunei
typhoons, earthquakes, and severe flooding are rare
Bulgaria
earthquakes, landslides
Burkina Faso
recurring droughts
Burma
destructive earthquakes and cyclones; flooding and landslides
common during rainy season (June to September); periodic droughts
Burundi
flooding, landslides, drought
Cambodia
monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional
droughts
Cameroon
volcanic activity with periodic releases of poisonous gases
from Lake Nyos and Lake Monoun volcanoes
Canada
continuous permafrost in north is a serious obstacle to
development; cyclonic storms form east of the Rocky Mountains, a
result of the mixing of air masses from the Arctic, Pacific, and
North American interior, and produce most of the country's rain and
snow east of the mountains
Cape Verde
prolonged droughts; seasonal harmattan wind produces
obscuring dust; volcanically and seismically active
Cayman Islands
hurricanes (July to November)
Central African Republic
hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect
northern areas; floods are common
Chad
hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds occur in north; periodic
droughts; locust plagues
Chile
severe earthquakes; active volcanism; tsunamis
China
frequent typhoons (about five per year along southern and
eastern coasts); damaging floods; tsunamis; earthquakes; droughts;
land subsidence
Christmas Island
the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can
be a maritime hazard
Clipperton Island
NA
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
cyclone season is October to April
Colombia
highlands subject to volcanic eruptions; occasional
earthquakes; periodic droughts
Comoros
cyclones possible during rainy season (December to April);
Le Kartala on Grand Comore is an active volcano
Congo, Democratic Republic of the periodic droughts in south; Congo River floods (seasonal); in the east, in the Great Rift Valley, there are active volcanoes
Congo, Republic of the
seasonal flooding
Cook Islands
typhoons (November to March)
Coral Sea Islands
occasional tropical cyclones
Costa Rica
occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along Atlantic coast;
frequent flooding of lowlands at onset of rainy season and
landslides; active volcanoes
Cote d'Ivoire
coast has heavy surf and no natural harbors; during
the rainy season torrential flooding is possible
Croatia
destructive earthquakes
Cuba
the east coast is subject to hurricanes from August to October
(in general, the country averages about one hurricane every other
year); droughts are common
Cyprus
moderate earthquake activity; droughts
Czech Republic
flooding
Denmark
flooding is a threat in some areas of the country (e.g.,
parts of Jutland, along the southern coast of the island of Lolland)
that are protected from the sea by a system of dikes
Djibouti
earthquakes; droughts; occasional cyclonic disturbances
from the Indian Ocean bring heavy rains and flash floods
Dominica
flash floods are a constant threat; destructive hurricanes
can be expected during the late summer months
Dominican Republic
lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and
subject to severe storms from June to October; occasional flooding;
periodic droughts
East Timor
floods and landslides are common; earthquakes, tsunamis,
tropical cyclones
Ecuador
frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity; floods;
periodic droughts
Egypt
periodic droughts; frequent earthquakes, flash floods,
landslides; hot, driving windstorm called khamsin occurs in spring;
dust storms, sandstorms
El Salvador
known as the Land of Volcanoes; frequent and sometimes
very destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity; extremely
susceptible to hurricanes
Equatorial Guinea
violent windstorms, flash floods
Eritrea
frequent droughts; locust swarms
Estonia
sometimes flooding occurs in the spring
Ethiopia
geologically active Great Rift Valley susceptible to
earthquakes, volcanic eruptions; frequent droughts
Europa Island
NA
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
strong winds persist throughout
the year
Faroe Islands
NA
Fiji
cyclonic storms can occur from November to January
Finland
NA
France
flooding; avalanches; midwinter windstorms; drought; forest
fires in south near the Mediterranean
French Guiana
high frequency of heavy showers and severe
thunderstorms; flooding
French Polynesia
occasional cyclonic storms in January
French Southern and Antarctic Lands
Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul
are extinct volcanoes
Gabon
NA
Gambia, The
drought (rainfall has dropped by 30% in the last 30
years)
Gaza Strip
droughts
Georgia
earthquakes
Germany
flooding
Ghana
dry, dusty, northeastern harmattan winds occur from January to
March; droughts
Gibraltar
NA
Glorioso Islands
periodic cyclones
Greece
severe earthquakes
Greenland
continuous permafrost over northern two-thirds of the
island
Grenada
lies on edge of hurricane belt; hurricane season lasts from
June to November
Guadeloupe
hurricanes (June to October); Soufriere de Guadeloupe is
an active volcano
Guam
frequent squalls during rainy season; relatively rare, but
potentially very destructive typhoons (June - December)
Guatemala
numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent
earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and
other tropical storms
Guernsey
NA
Guinea
hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility during
dry season
Guinea-Bissau
hot, dry, dusty harmattan haze may reduce visibility
during dry season; brush fires
Guyana
flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons
Haiti
lies in the middle of the hurricane belt and subject to severe
storms from June to October; occasional flooding and earthquakes;
periodic droughts
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
Mawson Peak, an active volcano, is
on Heard Island
Holy See (Vatican City)
NA
Honduras
frequent, but generally mild, earthquakes; extremely
susceptible to damaging hurricanes and floods along the Caribbean
coast
Hong Kong
occasional typhoons
Howland Island
the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island can
be a maritime hazard
Iceland
earthquakes and volcanic activity
India
droughts; flash floods, as well as widespread and destructive
flooding from monsoonal rains; severe thunderstorms; earthquakes
Indian Ocean
occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in
southern reaches
Indonesia
occasional floods, severe droughts, tsunamis, earthquakes,
volcanoes, forest fires
Iran
periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes
along western border and in the northeast
Iraq
dust storms, sandstorms, floods
Ireland
NA
Israel
sandstorms may occur during spring and summer; droughts;
periodic earthquakes
Italy
regional risks include landslides, mudflows, avalanches,
earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding; land subsidence in Venice
Jamaica
hurricanes (especially July to November)
Jan Mayen
dominated by the volcano Haakon VII Toppen/Beerenberg;
volcanic activity resumed in 1970
Japan
many dormant and some active volcanoes; about 1,500 seismic
occurrences (mostly tremors) every year; tsunamis; typhoons
Jarvis Island
the narrow fringing reef surrounding the island poses
a maritime hazard
Jersey
NA
Johnston Atoll
NA
Jordan
droughts; periodic earthquakes
Juan de Nova Island
periodic cyclones
Kazakhstan
earthquakes in the south, mudslides around Almaty
Kenya
recurring drought; flooding during rainy seasons
Kingman Reef
wet or awash most of the time, maximum elevation of
about 1 meter makes Kingman Reef a maritime hazard
Kiribati
typhoons can occur any time, but usually November to March;
occasional tornadoes; low level of some of the islands make them
very sensitive to changes in sea level
Korea, North
late spring droughts often followed by severe flooding;
occasional typhoons during the early fall
Korea, South
occasional typhoons bring high winds and floods;
low-level seismic activity common in southwest
Kuwait
sudden cloudbursts are common from October to April and bring
heavy rain, which can damage roads and houses; sandstorms and dust
storms occur throughout the year, but are most common between March
and August
Kyrgyzstan
NA
Laos
floods, droughts
Latvia
NA
Lebanon
dust storms, sandstorms
Lesotho
periodic droughts
Liberia
dust-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to
March)
Libya
hot, dry, dust-laden ghibli is a southern wind lasting one to
four days in spring and fall; dust storms, sandstorms
Liechtenstein
NA
Lithuania
NA
Luxembourg
NA
Macau
typhoons
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
high seismic risks
Madagascar
periodic cyclones
Malawi
NA
Malaysia
flooding, landslides, forest fires
Maldives
low level of islands makes them very sensitive to sea level
rise
Mali
hot, dust-laden harmattan haze common during dry seasons;
recurring droughts; occasional Niger River flooding
Malta
NA
Man, Isle of
NA
Marshall Islands
infrequent typhoons
Martinique
hurricanes, flooding, and volcanic activity (an average
of one major natural disaster every five years)
Mauritania
hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind blows primarily in
March and April; periodic droughts
Mauritius
cyclones (November to April); almost completely surrounded
by reefs that may pose maritime hazards
Mayotte
cyclones during rainy season
Mexico
tsunamis along the Pacific coast, volcanoes and destructive
earthquakes in the center and south, and hurricanes on the Pacific,
Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean coasts
Micronesia, Federated States of
typhoons (June to December)
Midway Islands
NA
Moldova
landslides (57 cases in 1998)
Monaco
NA
Mongolia
dust storms, grassland and forest fires, drought, and
"zud", which is harsh winter conditions
Montserrat
severe hurricanes (June to November); volcanic eruptions
(Soufriere Hills volcano has erupted continuously since 1996)
Morocco
northern mountains geologically unstable and subject to
earthquakes; periodic droughts
Mozambique
severe droughts; devastating cyclones and floods occur in
central and southern provinces
Namibia
prolonged periods of drought
Nauru
periodic droughts
Navassa Island
NA
Nepal
severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and
famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the
summer monsoons
Netherlands
flooding
Netherlands Antilles
Curacao and Bonaire are south of Caribbean
hurricane belt and are rarely threatened; Sint Maarten, Saba, and
Sint Eustatius are subject to hurricanes from July to October
New Caledonia
cyclones, most frequent from November to March
New Zealand
earthquakes are common, though usually not severe;
volcanic activity
Nicaragua
destructive earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides; extremely
susceptible to hurricanes
Niger
recurring droughts
Nigeria
periodic droughts; flooding
Niue
typhoons
Norfolk Island
typhoons (especially May to July)
Northern Mariana Islands active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November)
Norway
rockslides, avalanches
Oman
summer winds often raise large sandstorms and dust storms in
interior; periodic droughts
Pacific Ocean
surrounded by a zone of violent volcanic and
earthquake activity sometimes referred to as the "Pacific Ring of
Fire"; subject to tropical cyclones (typhoons) in southeast and east
Asia from May to December (most frequent from July to October);
tropical cyclones (hurricanes) may form south of Mexico and strike
Central America and Mexico from June to October (most common in
August and September); cyclical El Nino/La Nina phenomenon occurs in
the equatorial Pacific, influencing weather in the Western
Hemisphere and the western Pacific; ships subject to superstructure
icing in extreme north from October to May; persistent fog in the
northern Pacific can be a maritime hazard from June to December
Pakistan
frequent earthquakes, occasionally severe especially in
north and west; flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and
August)
Palau
typhoons (June to December)
Palmyra Atoll
NA
Panama
occasional severe storms and forest fires in the Darien area
Papua New Guinea
active volcanism; situated along the Pacific "Ring
of Fire"; the country is subject to frequent and sometimes severe
earthquakes; mud slides; tsunamis
Paracel Islands
typhoons
Paraguay
local flooding in southeast (early September to June);
poorly drained plains may become boggy (early October to June)
Peru
earthquakes, tsunamis, flooding, landslides, mild volcanic
activity
Philippines
astride typhoon belt, usually affected by 15 and struck
by five to six cyclonic storms per year; landslides; active
volcanoes; destructive earthquakes; tsunamis
Pitcairn Islands
typhoons (especially November to March)
Poland
flooding
Portugal
Azores subject to severe earthquakes
Puerto Rico
periodic droughts; hurricanes
Qatar
haze, dust storms, sandstorms common
Reunion
periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April); Piton de
la Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano
Romania
earthquakes, most severe in south and southwest; geologic
structure and climate promote landslides
Russia
permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to
development; volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and
earthquakes on the Kamchatka Peninsula; spring floods and
summer/autumn forest fires throughout Siberia and parts of European
Russia
Rwanda
periodic droughts; the volcanic Virunga mountains are in the
northwest along the border with Democratic Republic of the Congo
Saint Helena
active volcanism on Tristan da Cunha
Saint Kitts and Nevis
hurricanes (July to October)
Saint Lucia
hurricanes and volcanic activity
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
persistent fog throughout the year can be
a maritime hazard
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
hurricanes; Soufriere volcano on
the island of Saint Vincent is a constant threat
Samoa
occasional typhoons; active volcanism
San Marino
NA
Sao Tome and Principe
NA
Saudi Arabia
frequent sand and dust storms
Senegal
lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts
Serbia and Montenegro
destructive earthquakes
Seychelles
lies outside the cyclone belt, so severe storms are rare;
short droughts possible
Sierra Leone
dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara
(December to February); sandstorms, dust storms
Singapore
NA
Slovakia
NA
Slovenia
flooding and earthquakes
Solomon Islands
typhoons, but rarely destructive; geologically
active region with frequent earth tremors; volcanic activity
Somalia
recurring droughts; frequent dust storms over eastern plains
in summer; floods during rainy season
South Africa
prolonged droughts
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
the South Sandwich
Islands have prevailing weather conditions that generally make them
difficult to approach by ship; they are also subject to active
volcanism
Southern Ocean
huge icebergs with drafts up to several hundred
meters; smaller bergs and iceberg fragments; sea ice (generally 0.5
to 1 meter thick) with sometimes dynamic short-term variations and
with large annual and interannual variations; deep continental shelf
floored by glacial deposits varying widely over short distances;
high winds and large waves much of the year; ship icing, especially
May-October; most of region is remote from sources of search and
rescue
Spain
periodic droughts
Spratly Islands
typhoons; serious maritime hazard because of
numerous reefs and shoals
Sri Lanka
occasional cyclones and tornadoes
Sudan
dust storms and periodic persistent droughts
Suriname
NA
Svalbard
ice floes often block the entrance to Bellsund (a transit
point for coal export) on the west coast and occasionally make parts
of the northeastern coast inaccessible to maritime traffic
Swaziland
drought
Sweden
ice floes in the surrounding waters, especially in the Gulf
of Bothnia, can interfere with maritime traffic
Switzerland
avalanches, landslides, flash floods
Syria
dust storms, sandstorms
Taiwan
earthquakes and typhoons
Tajikistan
earthquakes and floods
Tanzania
flooding on the central plateau during the rainy season;
drought
Thailand
land subsidence in Bangkok area resulting from the
depletion of the water table; droughts
Togo
hot, dry harmattan wind can reduce visibility in north during
winter; periodic droughts
Tokelau
lies in Pacific typhoon belt
Tonga
cyclones (October to April); earthquakes and volcanic activity
on Fonuafo'ou
Trinidad and Tobago
outside usual path of hurricanes and other
tropical storms
Tromelin Island
NA
Tunisia
NA
Turkey
very severe earthquakes, especially in northern Turkey, along
an arc extending from the Sea of Marmara to Lake Van
Turkmenistan
NA
Turks and Caicos Islands
frequent hurricanes
Tuvalu
severe tropical storms are usually rare, but, in 1997, there
were three cyclones; low level of islands make them very sensitive
to changes in sea level
Uganda
NA
Ukraine
NA
United Arab Emirates
frequent sand and dust storms
United Kingdom
winter windstorms; floods
United States
tsunamis, volcanoes, and earthquake activity around
Pacific Basin; hurricanes along the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico
coasts; tornadoes in the midwest and southeast; mud slides in
California; forest fires in the west; flooding; permafrost in
northern Alaska, a major impediment to development
Uruguay
seasonally high winds (the pampero is a chilly and
occasional violent wind which blows north from the Argentine
pampas), droughts, floods; because of the absence of mountains,
which act as weather barriers, all locations are particularly
vulnerable to rapid changes from weather fronts
Uzbekistan
NA
Vanuatu
tropical cyclones or typhoons (January to April); volcanism
causes minor earthquakes; tsunamis
Venezuela
subject to floods, rockslides, mudslides; periodic droughts
Vietnam
occasional typhoons (May to January) with extensive
flooding, especially in the Mekong River delta
Virgin Islands
several hurricanes in recent years; frequent and
severe droughts and floods; occasional earthquakes
Wake Island
occasional typhoons
Wallis and Futuna
NA
West Bank
droughts
Western Sahara
hot, dry, dust/sand-laden sirocco wind can occur
during winter and spring; widespread harmattan haze exists 60% of
time, often severely restricting visibility
World
large areas subject to severe weather (tropical cyclones),
natural disasters (earthquakes, landslides, tsunamis, volcanic
eruptions)
Yemen
sandstorms and dust storms in summer
Zambia
periodic drought, tropical storms (November to April)
Zimbabwe
recurring droughts; floods and severe storms are rare
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
@2022 People - note
Afghanistan
large numbers of Afghan refugees create burdens on
neighboring states
Ashmore and Cartier Islands
the landing of illegal immigrants from
Indonesia's Rote Island has become an ongoing problem
Cuba
illicit migration is a continuing problem; Cubans attempt to
depart the island and enter the US using homemade rafts, alien
smugglers, direct flights, or falsified visas; some 2,500 Cubans
took to the Straits of Florida in 2002; the US Coast Guard
interdicted about 60% of these migrants; Cubans also use
non-maritime routes to enter the US; some 1,500 Cubans arrived
overland via the southwest border and direct flights to Miami in 2002
Ghana
there are 9,500 Liberians, 2,000 Sierra Leoneans, and 1,000
Togolese refugees residing in Ghana (2002)
Rwanda
Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa
Turks and Caicos Islands
destination and transit point for illegal
Haitian immigrants bound for the Turks and Caicos Islands, Bahamas,
and US
United States
data for the US are based on projections that do not
take into consideration the results of the 2000 census
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
@2023 Area - comparative
Afghanistan
slightly smaller than Texas
Albania
slightly smaller than Maryland
Algeria
slightly less than 3.5 times the size of Texas
American Samoa
slightly larger than Washington, DC
Andorra
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Angola
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Anguilla
about half the size of Washington, DC
Antarctica
slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US
Antigua and Barbuda
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Arctic Ocean
slightly less than 1.5 times the size of the US
Argentina
slightly less than three-tenths the size of the US
Armenia
slightly smaller than Maryland
Aruba
slightly larger than Washington, DC
Ashmore and Cartier Islands about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Atlantic Ocean
slightly less than 6.5 times the size of the US
Australia
slightly smaller than the US contiguous 48 states
Austria
slightly smaller than Maine
Azerbaijan
slightly smaller than Maine
Bahamas, The
slightly smaller than Connecticut
Bahrain
3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Baker Island
about 2.5 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Bangladesh
slightly smaller than Iowa
Barbados
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Bassas da India
about one-third the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC
Belarus
slightly smaller than Kansas
Belgium
about the size of Maryland
Belize
slightly smaller than Massachusetts
Benin
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Bermuda
about one-third the size of Washington, DC
Bhutan
about half the size of Indiana
Bolivia
slightly less than three times the size of Montana
Bosnia and Herzegovina
slightly smaller than West Virginia
Botswana
slightly smaller than Texas
Bouvet Island
about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Brazil
slightly smaller than the US
British Indian Ocean Territory
about 0.3 times the size of
Washington, DC
British Virgin Islands
about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
Brunei
slightly smaller than Delaware
Bulgaria
slightly larger than Tennessee
Burkina Faso
slightly larger than Colorado
Burma
slightly smaller than Texas
Burundi
slightly smaller than Maryland
Cambodia
slightly smaller than Oklahoma
Cameroon
slightly larger than California
Canada
somewhat larger than the US
Cape Verde
slightly larger than Rhode Island
Cayman Islands
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Central African Republic
slightly smaller than Texas
Chad
slightly more than three times the size of California
Chile
slightly smaller than twice the size of Montana
China
slightly smaller than the US
Christmas Island
about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC
Clipperton Island
about 12 times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
about 24 times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC
Colombia
slightly less than three times the size of Montana
Comoros
slightly more than 12 times the size of Washington, DC
Congo, Democratic Republic of the slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US
Congo, Republic of the
slightly smaller than Montana
Cook Islands
1.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Coral Sea Islands
NA
Costa Rica
slightly smaller than West Virginia
Cote d'Ivoire
slightly larger than New Mexico
Croatia
slightly smaller than West Virginia
Cuba
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Cyprus
about 0.6 times the size of Connecticut
Czech Republic
slightly smaller than South Carolina
Denmark
slightly less than twice the size of Massachusetts
Djibouti
slightly smaller than Massachusetts
Dominica
slightly more than four times the size of Washington, DC
Dominican Republic
slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire
East Timor
slightly larger than Connecticut
Ecuador
slightly smaller than Nevada
Egypt
slightly more than three times the size of New Mexico
El Salvador
slightly smaller than Massachusetts
Equatorial Guinea
slightly smaller than Maryland
Eritrea
slightly larger than Pennsylvania
Estonia
slightly smaller than New Hampshire and Vermont combined
Ethiopia
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Europa Island
about 0.16 times the size of Washington, DC
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
slightly smaller than Connecticut
Faroe Islands
eight times the size of Washington, DC
Fiji
slightly smaller than New Jersey
Finland
slightly smaller than Montana
France
slightly less than twice the size of Colorado
French Guiana
slightly smaller than Indiana
French Polynesia
slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut
French Southern and Antarctic Lands slightly less than 1.3 times the size of Delaware
Gabon
slightly smaller than Colorado
Gambia, The
slightly less than twice the size of Delaware
Gaza Strip
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Georgia
slightly smaller than South Carolina
Germany
slightly smaller than Montana
Ghana
slightly smaller than Oregon
Gibraltar
about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Glorioso Islands
about eight times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC
Greece
slightly smaller than Alabama
Greenland
slightly more than three times the size of Texas
Grenada
twice the size of Washington, DC
Guadeloupe
10 times the size of Washington, DC
Guam
three times the size of Washington, DC
Guatemala
slightly smaller than Tennessee
Guernsey
about one-half the size of Washington, DC
Guinea
slightly smaller than Oregon
Guinea-Bissau
slightly less than three times the size of Connecticut
Guyana
slightly smaller than Idaho
Haiti
slightly smaller than Maryland
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
slightly more than two times the
size of Washington, DC
Holy See (Vatican City)
about 0.7 times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC
Honduras
slightly larger than Tennessee
Hong Kong
six times the size of Washington, DC
Howland Island
about three times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC
Hungary
slightly smaller than Indiana
Iceland
slightly smaller than Kentucky
India
slightly more than one-third the size of the US
Indian Ocean
about 5.5 times the size of the US
Indonesia
slightly less than three times the size of Texas
Iran
slightly larger than Alaska
Iraq
slightly more than twice the size of Idaho
Ireland
slightly larger than West Virginia
Israel
slightly smaller than New Jersey
Italy
slightly larger than Arizona
Jamaica
slightly smaller than Connecticut
Jan Mayen
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Japan
slightly smaller than California
Jarvis Island
about eight times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC
Jersey
about 0.7 times the size of Washington, DC
Johnston Atoll
about 4.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Jordan
slightly smaller than Indiana
Juan de Nova Island
about seven times the size of The Mall in
Washington, DC
Kazakhstan
slightly less than four times the size of Texas
Kenya
slightly more than twice the size of Nevada
Kingman Reef
about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Kiribati
four times the size of Washington, DC
Korea, North
slightly smaller than Mississippi
Korea, South
slightly larger than Indiana
Kuwait
slightly smaller than New Jersey
Kyrgyzstan
slightly smaller than South Dakota
Laos
slightly larger than Utah
Latvia
slightly larger than West Virginia
Lebanon
about 0.7 times the size of Connecticut
Lesotho
slightly smaller than Maryland
Liberia
slightly larger than Tennessee
Libya
slightly larger than Alaska
Liechtenstein
about 0.9 times the size of Washington, DC
Lithuania
slightly larger than West Virginia
Luxembourg
slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Macau
about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
slightly larger than
Vermont
Madagascar
slightly less than twice the size of Arizona
Malawi
slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Malaysia
slightly larger than New Mexico
Maldives
about 1.7 times the size of Washington, DC
Mali
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Malta
slightly less than twice the size of Washington, DC
Man, Isle of
slightly more than three times the size of Washington,
DC
Marshall Islands
about the size of Washington, DC
Martinique
slightly more than six times the size of Washington, DC
Mauritania
slightly larger than three times the size of New Mexico
Mauritius
almost 11 times the size of Washington, DC
Mayotte
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Mexico
slightly less than three times the size of Texas
Micronesia, Federated States of
four times the size of Washington,
DC (land area only)
Midway Islands
about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC
Moldova
slightly larger than Maryland
Monaco
about three times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Mongolia
slightly smaller than Alaska
Montserrat
about 0.6 times the size of Washington, DC
Morocco
slightly larger than California
Mozambique
slightly less than twice the size of California
Namibia
slightly more than half the size of Alaska
Nauru
about 0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Navassa Island
about nine times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC
Nepal
slightly larger than Arkansas
Netherlands
slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey
Netherlands Antilles
more than five times the size of Washington, DC
New Caledonia
slightly smaller than New Jersey
New Zealand
about the size of Colorado
Nicaragua
slightly smaller than the state of New York
Niger
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Nigeria
slightly more than twice the size of California
Niue
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Norfolk Island
about 0.2 times the size of Washington, DC
Northern Mariana Islands
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Norway
slightly larger than New Mexico
Oman
slightly smaller than Kansas
Pacific Ocean
about 15 times the size of the US; covers about 28% of
the global surface; larger than the total land area of the world
Pakistan
slightly less than twice the size of California
Palau
slightly more than 2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Palmyra Atoll
about 20 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Panama
slightly smaller than South Carolina
Papua New Guinea
slightly larger than California
Paracel Islands
NA
Paraguay
slightly smaller than California
Peru
slightly smaller than Alaska
Philippines
slightly larger than Arizona
Pitcairn Islands
about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Poland
slightly smaller than New Mexico
Portugal
slightly smaller than Indiana
Puerto Rico
slightly less than three times the size of Rhode Island
Qatar
slightly smaller than Connecticut
Reunion
slightly smaller than Rhode Island
Romania
slightly smaller than Oregon
Russia
approximately 1.8 times the size of the US
Rwanda
slightly smaller than Maryland
Saint Helena
slightly more than twice the size of Washington, DC
Saint Kitts and Nevis
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Saint Lucia
3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
twice the size of Washington, DC
Samoa
slightly smaller than Rhode Island
San Marino
about 0.3 times the size of Washington, DC
Sao Tome and Principe
more than five times the size of Washington, DC
Saudi Arabia
slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US
Senegal
slightly smaller than South Dakota
Serbia and Montenegro
slightly smaller than Kentucky
Seychelles
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Sierra Leone
slightly smaller than South Carolina
Singapore
slightly more than 3.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Slovakia
about twice the size of New Hampshire
Slovenia
slightly smaller than New Jersey
Solomon Islands
slightly smaller than Maryland
Somalia
slightly smaller than Texas
South Africa
slightly less than twice the size of Texas
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
slightly larger than
Rhode Island
Southern Ocean
slightly more than twice the size of the US
Spain
slightly more than twice the size of Oregon
Spratly Islands
NA
Sri Lanka
slightly larger than West Virginia
Sudan
slightly more than one-quarter the size of the US
Suriname
slightly larger than Georgia
Svalbard
slightly smaller than West Virginia
Swaziland
slightly smaller than New Jersey
Sweden
slightly larger than California
Switzerland
slightly less than twice the size of New Jersey
Syria
slightly larger than North Dakota
Taiwan
slightly smaller than Maryland and Delaware combined
Tajikistan
slightly smaller than Wisconsin
Tanzania
slightly larger than twice the size of California
Thailand
slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming
Togo
slightly smaller than West Virginia
Tokelau
about 17 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Tonga
four times the size of Washington, DC
Trinidad and Tobago
slightly smaller than Delaware
Tromelin Island
about 1.7 times the size of The Mall in Washington,
DC
Tunisia
slightly larger than Georgia
Turkey
slightly larger than Texas
Turkmenistan
slightly larger than California
Turks and Caicos Islands
2.5 times the size of Washington, DC
Tuvalu
0.1 times the size of Washington, DC
Uganda
slightly smaller than Oregon
Ukraine
slightly smaller than Texas
United Arab Emirates
slightly smaller than Maine
United Kingdom
slightly smaller than Oregon
United States
about half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the
size of Africa; about half the size of South America (or slightly
larger than Brazil); slightly larger than China; about two and a
half times the size of Western Europe
Uruguay
slightly smaller than the state of Washington
Uzbekistan
slightly larger than California
Vanuatu
slightly larger than Connecticut
Venezuela
slightly more than twice the size of California
Vietnam
slightly larger than New Mexico
Virgin Islands
twice the size of Washington, DC
Wake Island
about 11 times the size of The Mall in Washington, DC
Wallis and Futuna
1.5 times the size of Washington, DC
West Bank
slightly smaller than Delaware
Western Sahara
about the size of Colorado
World
land area about 16 times the size of the US
Yemen
slightly larger than twice the size of Wyoming
Zambia
slightly larger than Texas
Zimbabwe
slightly larger than Montana
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
@2024 Military manpower - military age (years of age)
Afghanistan
22 years of age (2003 est.)
Albania
19 years of age (2003 est.)
Algeria
19 years of age (2003 est.)
Angola
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Argentina
20 years of age (2003 est.)
Armenia
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Australia
17 years of age (2003 est.)
Austria
19 years of age (2003 est.)
Azerbaijan
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Bahrain
15 years of age (2003 est.)
Belarus
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Belgium
19 years of age (2003 est.)
Belize
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Benin
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Bhutan
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Bolivia
19 years of age (2003 est.)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
19 years of age (2003 est.)
Botswana
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Brazil
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Brunei
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Bulgaria
19 years of age (2003 est.)
Burma
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Burundi
16 years of age (2003 est.)
Cambodia
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Cameroon
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Canada
16 years of age (2003 est.)
Chad
20 years of age (2003 est.)
Chile
19 years of age (2003 est.)
China
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Colombia
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Congo, Republic of the
20 years of age (2003 est.)
Costa Rica
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Cote d'Ivoire
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Croatia
19 years of age (2003 est.)
Cuba
17 years of age (2003 est.)
Cyprus
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Czech Republic
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Denmark
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Dominican Republic
18 years of age (2003 est.)
East Timor
18-21 years of age (2003 est.)
Ecuador
20 years of age (2003 est.)
Egypt
20 years of age (2003 est.)
El Salvador
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Estonia
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Ethiopia
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Fiji
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Finland
18 years of age (2003 est.)
France
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Gabon
20 years of age (2003 est.)
Georgia
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Germany
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Ghana
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Greece
21 years of age (2003 est.)
Guatemala
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Haiti
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Honduras
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Hong Kong
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Hungary
18 years of age (2003 est.)
India
17 years of age (2003 est.)
Indonesia
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Iran
21 years of age (2003 est.)
Iraq
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Ireland
17 years of age (2003 est.)
Israel
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Italy
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Jamaica
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Japan
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Jordan
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Kazakhstan
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Korea, North
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Korea, South
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Kuwait
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Kyrgyzstan
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Laos
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Latvia
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Libya
17 years of age (2003 est.)
Lithuania
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Luxembourg
19 years of age (2003 est.)
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of 19 years of age (2003 est.)
Madagascar
20 years of age (2003 est.)
Malaysia
21 years of age (2003 est.)
Mexico
18 years of age
note: starting in 2000, females were allowed to volunteer for
military service (2003 est.)
Moldova
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Mongolia
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Morocco
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Nepal
17 years of age (2003 est.)
Netherlands
20 years of age (note - age 17 for cadets and
midshipmen) (2003 est.)
Netherlands Antilles
20 years of age (2003 est.)
New Zealand
20 years of age (2003 est.)
Nicaragua
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Niger
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Nigeria
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Norway
20 years of age (2003 est.)
Oman
14 years of age (2003 est.)
Pakistan
17 years of age (2003 est.)
Paraguay
17 years of age (2003 est.)
Peru
17 years of age (2003 est.)
Philippines
20 years of age (2003 est.)
Poland
19 years of age (2003 est.)
Portugal
20 years of age (2003 est.)
Qatar
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Reunion
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Romania
20 years of age (2003 est.)
Russia
18 years of age (2003)
Saudi Arabia
17 years of age (2003 est.)
Senegal
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Serbia and Montenegro
19 years of age (2003 est.)
Slovakia
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Slovenia
19 years of age (2003 est.)
South Africa
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Spain
20 years of age (2003 est.)
Sri Lanka
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Sudan
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Sweden
19 years of age (2003 est.)
Switzerland
20 years of age (2003 est.)
Syria
19 years of age (2003 est.)
Taiwan
19 years of age (2003 est.)
Tajikistan
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Thailand
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Tunisia
20 years of age (2003 est.)
Turkey
20 years of age (2003 est.)
Turkmenistan
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Ukraine
18 years of age (2003 est.)
United Arab Emirates
18 years of age (2003 est.)
United States
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Uzbekistan
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Venezuela
18 years of age (2003 est.)
Vietnam
17 years of age (2003 est.)
Yemen
14 years of age (2003 est.)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
@2025 Military manpower - fit for military service
Afghanistan
males age 15-49: 3,837,646 (2003 est.)
Albania
males age 15-49: 742,837 (2003 est.)
Algeria
males age 15-49: 5,646,418 (2003 est.)
Angola
males age 15-49: 1,290,884 (2003 est.)
Argentina
males age 15-49: 7,942,837 (2003 est.)
Armenia
males age 15-49: 727,770 (2003 est.)
Australia
males age 15-49: 4,339,011 (2003 est.)
Austria
males age 15-49: 1,725,123 (2003 est.)
Azerbaijan
males age 15-49: 1,727,340 (2003 est.)
Bahrain
males age 15-49: 121,739 (2003 est.)
Bangladesh
males age 15-49: 22,807,339 (2003 est.)
Barbados
males age 15-49: 53,282 (2003 est.)
Belarus
males age 15-49: 2,158,875 (2003 est.)
Belgium
males age 15-49: 2,059,131 (2003 est.)
Belize
males age 15-49: 39,337 (2003 est.)
Benin
males age 15-49: 805,603
females age 15-49: 809,961 (2003 est.)
Bhutan
males age 15-49: 283,493 (2003 est.)
Bolivia
males age 15-49: 1,380,883 (2003 est.)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
males age 15-49: 897,856 (2003 est.)
Botswana
males age 15-49: 201,402 (2003 est.)
Brazil
males age 15-49: 34,347,078 (2003 est.)
Brunei
males age 15-49: 63,966 (2003 est.)
Bulgaria
males age 15-49: 1,551,485 (2003 est.)
Burkina Faso
males age 15-49: 1,506,944 (2003 est.)
Burma
males age 15-49: 6,566,122
females age 15-49: 6,553,458 (2003 est.)
Burundi
males age 15-49: 723,516 (2003 est.)
Cambodia
males age 15-49: 1,829,535 (2003 est.)
Cameroon
males age 15-49: 1,928,285 (2003 est.)
Canada
males age 15-49: 7,158,016 (2003 est.)
Cape Verde
males age 15-49: 53,842 (2003 est.)
Central African Republic
males age 15-49: 449,466 (2003 est.)
Chad
males age 15-49: 1,015,982 (2003 est.)
Chile
males age 15-49: 3,070,140 (2003 est.)
China
males age 15-49: 206 million (2003 est.)
Colombia
males age 15-49: 7,403,433 (2003 est.)
Comoros
males age 15-49: 89,090 (2003 est.)
Congo, Democratic Republic of the males age 15-49: 6,267,752 (2003 est.)
Congo, Republic of the
males age 15-49: 381,556 (2003 est.)
Costa Rica
males age 15-49: 722,043 (2003 est.)
Cote d'Ivoire
males age 15-49: 2,110,276 (2003 est.)
Croatia
males age 15-49: 856,946 (2003 est.)
Cuba
males age 15-49: 1,923,967
females age 15-49: 1,875,412 (2003 est.)
Cyprus
males age 15-49: 138,336 (2003 est.)
Czech Republic
males age 15-49: 2,002,202 (2003 est.)
Denmark
males age 15-49: 1,094,611 (2003 est.)
Djibouti
males age 15-49: 63,459 (2003 est.)
Dominican Republic
males age 15-49: 1,453,705 (2003 est.)
East Timor
NA
Ecuador
males age 15-49: 2,395,178 (2003 est.)
Egypt
males age 15-49: 12,867,160 (2003 est.)
El Salvador
males age 15-49: 973,884 (2003 est.)
Equatorial Guinea
males age 15-49: 59,110 (2003 est.)
Estonia
males age 15-49: 283,278 (2003 est.)
Ethiopia
males age 15-49: 8,040,381 (2003 est.)
Fiji
males age 15-49: 129,432 (2003 est.)
Finland
males age 15-49: 1,016,693 (2003 est.)
France
males age 15-49: 12,079,413 (2003 est.)
French Guiana
males age 15-49: 33,345 (2003 est.)
Gabon
males age 15-49: 158,226 (2003 est.)
Gambia, The
males age 15-49: 170,904 (2003 est.)
Georgia
males age 15-49: 1,028,913 (2003 est.)
Germany
males age 15-49: 17,399,936 (2003 est.)
Ghana
males age 15-49: 2,911,474 (2003 est.)
Greece
males age 15-49: 2,026,409 (2003 est.)
Guatemala
males age 15-49: 2,167,270 (2003 est.)
Guinea
males age 15-49: 1,038,428 (2003 est.)
Guinea-Bissau
males age 15-49: 181,318 (2003 est.)
Guyana
males age 15-49: 156,174 (2003 est.)
Haiti
males age 15-49: 944,474 (2003 est.)
Honduras
males age 15-49: 948,957 (2003 est.)
Hong Kong
males age 15-49: 1,524,903 (2003 est.)
Hungary
males age 15-49: 2,026,912 (2003 est.)
Iceland
males age 15-49: 62,552 (2003 est.)
India
males age 15-49: 169 million (2003 est.)
Indonesia
males age 15-49: 38,290,550 (2003 est.)
Iran
males age 15-49: 12,094,551 (2003 est.)
Iraq
males age 15-49: 3,541,467 (2003 est.)
Ireland
males age 15-49: 821,378 (2003 est.)
Israel
males age 15-49: 1,279,277
females age 15-49: 1,237,926 (2003 est.)
Italy
males age 15-49: 12,349,356 (2003 est.)
Jamaica
males age 15-49: 528,689 (2003 est.)
Japan
males age 15-49: 25,405,779 (2003 est.)
Jordan
males age 15-49: 1,113,787 (2003 est.)
Kazakhstan
males age 15-49: 3,658,815 (2003 est.)
Kenya
males age 15-49: 5,017,501 (2003 est.)
Korea, North
males age 15-49: 3,654,223 (2003 est.)
Korea, South
males age 15-49: 8,994,941 (2003 est.)
Kuwait
males age 15-49: 508,399 (2003 est.)
Kyrgyzstan
males age 15-49: 1,026,063 (2003 est.)
Laos
males age 15-49: 759,499 (2003 est.)
Latvia
males age 15-49: 465,788 (2003 est.)
Lebanon
males age 15-49: 630,657 (2003 est.)
Lesotho
males age 15-49: 250,560 (2003 est.)
Liberia
males age 15-49: 396,725 (2003 est.)
Libya
males age 15-49: 914,649 (2003 est.)
Lithuania
males age 15-49: 735,536 (2003 est.)
Luxembourg
males age 15-49: 93,994 (2003 est.)
Macau
males age 15-49: 71,826 (2003 est.)
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of males age 15-49: 446,726 (2003 est.)
Madagascar
males age 15-49: 2,300,587 (2003 est.)
Malawi
males age 15-49: 1,347,248 (2003 est.)
Malaysia
males age 15-49: 3,672,517 (2003 est.)
Maldives
males age 15-49: 43,386 (2003 est.)
Mali
males age 15-49: 1,400,711 (2003 est.)
Malta
males age 15-49: 79,080 (2003 est.)
Mauritania
males age 15-49: 322,288 (2003 est.)
Mauritius
males age 15-49: 171,556 (2003 est.)
Mexico
males age 15-49: 20,123,970 (2003 est.)
Moldova
males age 15-49: 936,629 (2003 est.)
Mongolia
males age 15-49: 516,502 (2003 est.)
Morocco
males age 15-49: 5,411,846 (2003 est.)
Mozambique
males age 15-49: 2,373,444 (2003 est.)
Namibia
males age 15-49: 274,015 (2003 est.)
Nauru
males age 15-49: 1,762 (2003 est.)
Nepal
males age 15-49: 3,467,511 (2003 est.)
Netherlands
males age 15-49: 3,536,586 (2003 est.)
Netherlands Antilles
males age 15-49: 30,840 (2003 est.)
New Zealand
males age 15-49: 859,505 (2003 est.)
Nicaragua
males age 15-49: 825,906 (2003 est.)
Niger
males age 15-49: 1,288,396 (2003 est.)
Nigeria
males age 15-49: 18,259,696 (2003 est.)
Norway
males age 15-49: 910,628 (2003 est.)
Oman
males age 15-49: 438,326 (2003 est.)
Pakistan
males age 15-49: 23,328,575 (2003 est.)
Panama
males age 15-49: 544,967 (2003 est.)
Papua New Guinea
males age 15-49: 757,421 (2003 est.)
Paraguay
males age 15-49: 1,056,437 (2003 est.)
Peru
males age 15-49: 5,045,619 (2003 est.)
Philippines
males age 15-49: 15,428,043 (2003 est.)
Poland
males age 15-49: 8,077,706 (2003 est.)
Portugal
males age 15-49: 2,017,678 (2003 est.)
Qatar
males age 15-49: 168,416 (2003 est.)
Reunion
males age 15-49: 101,116 (2003 est.)
Romania
males age 15-49: 4,974,240 (2003 est.)
Russia
males age 15-49: 24 million (2003 est.)
Rwanda
males age 15-49: 982,909 (2003 est.)
Sao Tome and Principe
males age 15-49: 19,443 (2003 est.)
Saudi Arabia
males age 15-49: 3,431,281 (2003 est.)
Senegal
males age 15-49: 1,256,973 (2003 est.)
Serbia and Montenegro
males age 15-49: 2,077,660 (2003 est.)
Seychelles
males age 15-49: 11,639 (2003 est.)
Sierra Leone
males age 15-49: 596,617 (2003 est.)
Singapore
males age 15-49: 1,012,498 (2003 est.)
Slovakia
males age 15-49: 1,135,612 (2003 est.)
Slovenia
males age 15-49: 413,453 (2003 est.)
Somalia
males age 15-49: 1,072,689 (2003 est.)
South Africa
males age 15-49: 7,211,075 (2003 est.)
Spain
males age 15-49: 8,391,612 (2003 est.)
Sri Lanka
males age 15-49: 4,172,921 (2003 est.)
Sudan
males age 15-49: 5,558,462 (2003 est.)
Suriname
males age 15-49: 72,039 (2003 est.)
Swaziland
males age 15-49: 165,005 (2003 est.)
Sweden
males age 15-49: 1,800,376 (2003 est.)
Switzerland
males age 15-49: 1,552,728 (2003 est.)
Syria
males age 15-49: 2,629,148 (2003 est.)
Taiwan
males age 15-49: 5,019,268 (2003 est.)
Tajikistan
males age 15-49: 1,397,188 (2003 est.)
Tanzania
males age 15-49: 4,911,235 (2003 est.)
Thailand
males age 15-49: 10,724,565 (2003 est.)
Togo
males age 15-49: 666,132 (2003 est.)
Trinidad and Tobago
males age 15-49: 233,488 (2003 est.)
Tunisia
males age 15-49: 1,629,241 (2003 est.)
Turkey
males age 15-49: 11,801,267 (2003 est.)
Turkmenistan
males age 15-49: 1,005,686 (2003 est.)
Uganda
males age 15-49: 2,974,259 (2003 est.)
Ukraine
males age 15-49: 9,597,172 (2003 est.)
United Arab Emirates
males age 15-49: 416,963 (2003 est.)
United Kingdom
males age 15-49: 12,353,942 (2003 est.)
United States
NA
Uruguay
males age 15-49: 672,030 (2003 est.)
Uzbekistan
males age 15-49: 5,635,099 (2003 est.)
Venezuela
males age 15-49: 4,870,751 (2003 est.)
Vietnam
males age 15-49: 14,366,732 (2003 est.)
Yemen
males age 15-49: 2,493,612 (2003 est.)
Zambia
males age 15-49: 1,279,846 (2003 est.)
Zimbabwe
males age 15-49: 2,003,572 (2003 est.)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
@2026 Military manpower - reaching military age annually
Afghanistan
males: 275,223 (2003 est.)
Albania
males: 36,985 (2003 est.)
Algeria
males: 412,545 (2003 est.)
Angola
males: 109,752 (2003 est.)
Argentina
males: 331,011 (2003 est.)
Armenia
males: 37,209 (2003 est.)
Australia
males: 142,377 (2003 est.)
Austria
males: 49,090 (2003 est.)
Azerbaijan
males: 82,925 (2003 est.)
Bahrain
males: 6,126 (2003 est.)
Belarus
males: 86,654 (2003 est.)
Belgium
males: 60,921 (2003 est.)
Belize
males: 3,046 (2003 est.)
Benin males: 75,021 females: 78,998 (2003 est.)
Bhutan
males: 22,755 (2003 est.)
Bolivia
males: 96,003 (2003 est.)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
males: 29,861 (2003 est.)
Botswana
males: 20,476 (2003 est.)
Brazil
males: 1,744,148 (2003 est.)
Brunei
males: 3,277 (2003 est.)
Bulgaria
males: 54,107 (2003 est.)
Burma
males: 453,420
females: 455,422 (2003 est.)
Burundi
males: 79,462 (2003 est.)
Cambodia
males: 165,395 (2003 est.)
Cameroon
males: 179,586 (2003 est.)
Canada
males: 216,488 (2003 est.)
Chad
males: 86,953 (2003 est.)
Chile
males: 131,324 (2003 est.)
China
males: 10,973,761 (2003 est.)
Colombia
males: 392,468 (2003 est.)
Congo, Republic of the
males: 31,644 (2003 est.)
Costa Rica
males: 41,453 (2003 est.)
Cote d'Ivoire
males: 198,115 (2003 est.)
Croatia
males: 30,096 (2003 est.)
Cuba
males: 81,095
females: 87,780 (2003 est.)
Cyprus
males: 6,638 (2003 est.)
Czech Republic
males: 67,777 (2003 est.)
Denmark
males: 28,198 (2003 est.)
Dominican Republic
males: 89,073 (2003 est.)
East Timor
NA
Ecuador
males: 137,433 (2003 est.)
Egypt
males: 743,305 (2003 est.)
El Salvador
males: 69,534 (2003 est.)
Estonia
males: 11,123 (2003 est.)
Ethiopia
males: 714,165 (2003 est.)
Fiji
males: 9,359 (2003 est.)
Finland
males: 31,926 (2003 est.)
France
males: 392,824 (2003 est.)
Gabon
males: 12,853 (2003 est.)
Georgia
males: 43,359 (2003 est.)
Germany
males: 472,946 (2003 est.)
Ghana
males: 239,742 (2003 est.)
Greece
males: 74,650 (2003 est.)
Guatemala
males: 151,294 (2003 est.)
Haiti
males: 94,349 (2003 est.)
Honduras
males: 74,895 (2003 est.)
Hong Kong
males: 47,477 (2003 est.)
Hungary
males: 64,305 (2003 est.)
India
males: 11,035,174 (2003 est.)
Indonesia
males: 2,213,727 (2003 est.)
Iran
males: 870,711 (2003 est.)
Iraq
males: 292,930 (2003 est.)
Ireland
males: 31,437 (2003 est.)
Israel males: 51,080 females: 53,496 (2003 est.)
Italy
males: 291,529 (2003 est.)
Jamaica
males: 27,398 (2003 est.)
Japan
males: 725,281 (2003 est.)
Jordan
males: 58,840 (2003 est.)
Kazakhstan
males: 174,111 (2003 est.)
Korea, North
males: 180,875 (2003 est.)
Korea, South
males: 345,331 (2003 est.)
Kuwait
males: 18,885 (2003 est.)
Kyrgyzstan
males: 54,445 (2003 est.)
Laos
males: 67,260 (2003 est.)
Latvia
males: 19,477 (2003 est.)
Libya
males: 61,511 (2003 est.)
Lithuania
males: 29,420 (2003 est.)
Luxembourg
males: 2,636 (2003 est.)
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
males: 17,909 (2003 est.)
Madagascar
males: 163,864 (2003 est.)
Malaysia
males: 218,216 (2003 est.)
Mexico
males: 1,093,752 (2003 est.)
Moldova
males: 44,084 (2003 est.)
Mongolia
males: 32,529 (2003 est.)
Morocco
males: 351,671 (2003 est.)
Nepal
males: 303,222 (2003 est.)
Netherlands
males: 94,034
note: Netherlands has an all-volunteer, 74,100 force in 2001 (2003
est.)
Netherlands Antilles
males: 1,643 (2003 est.)
New Zealand
males: 26,803 (2003 est.)
Nicaragua
males: 59,903 (2003 est.)
Niger
males: 119,367 (2003 est.)
Nigeria
males: 1,418,099 (2003 est.)
Norway
males: 27,249 (2003 est.)
Oman
males: 29,485 (2003 est.)
Pakistan
males: 1,767,502 (2003 est.)
Paraguay
males: 61,706 (2003 est.)
Peru
males: 281,717 (2003 est.)
Philippines
males: 846,994 (2003 est.)
Poland
males: 343,500 (2003 est.)
Portugal
males: 67,816 (2003 est.)
Qatar
males: 7,192 (2003 est.)
Reunion
males: 6,795 (2003 est.)
Romania
males: 157,840 (2003 est.)
Russia
males: 1.243 million (2003 est.)
Saudi Arabia
males: 253,685 (2003 est.)
Senegal
males: 116,688 (2003 est.)
Serbia and Montenegro
males: 81,547 (2003 est.)
Slovakia
males: 44,287 (2003 est.)
Slovenia
males: 13,704 (2003 est.)
South Africa
males: 471,578 (2003 est.)
Spain
males: 255,826 (2003 est.)
Sri Lanka
males: 186,691 (2003 est.)
Sudan
males: 429,334 (2003 est.)
Sweden
males: 52,692 (2003 est.)
Switzerland
males: 42,761 (2003 est.)
Syria
males: 210,941 (2003 est.)
Taiwan
males: 189,967 (2003 est.)
Tajikistan
males: 82,490 (2003 est.)
Thailand
males: 520,472 (2003 est.)
Tunisia
males: 106,513 (2003 est.)
Turkey
males: 679,882 (2003 est.)
Turkmenistan
males: 53,825 (2003 est.)
Ukraine
males: 389,499 (2003 est.)
United Arab Emirates
males: 26,636 (2003 est.)
United States
males: 2,116,002 (2003 est.)
Uzbekistan
males: 310,915 (2003 est.)
Venezuela
males: 249,319 (2003 est.)
Vietnam
males: 871,036 (2003 est.)
Yemen
males: 249,292 (2003 est.)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
@2028 Background
Afghanistan
Afghanistan's recent history is characterized by war and
civil unrest. The Soviet Union invaded in 1979, but was forced to
withdraw 10 years later by anti-Communist mujahidin forces supplied
and trained by the US, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and others. Fighting
subsequently continued among the various mujahidin factions, giving
rise to a state of warlordism that eventually spawned the Taliban.
Backed by foreign sponsors, the Taliban developed as a political
force and eventually seized power. The Taliban were able to capture
most of the country, aside from Northern Alliance strongholds
primarily in the northeast, until US and allied military action in
support of the opposition following the 11 September 2001 terrorist
attacks forced the group's downfall. In late 2001, major leaders
from the Afghan opposition groups and diaspora met in Bonn, Germany,
and agreed on a plan for the formulation of a new government
structure that resulted in the inauguration of Hamid KARZAI as
Chairman of the Afghan Interim Authority (AIA) on 22 December 2001.
The AIA held a nationwide Loya Jirga (Grand Assembly) in June 2002,
and KARZAI was elected President by secret ballot of the
Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan (TISA). The Transitional
Authority has an 18-month mandate to hold a nationwide Loya Jirga to
adopt a constitution and a 24-month mandate to hold nationwide
elections. In December 2002, the TISA marked the one-year
anniversary of the fall of the Taliban. In addition to occasionally
violent political jockeying and ongoing military action to root out
remaining terrorists and Taliban elements, the country suffers from
enormous poverty, a crumbling infrastructure, and widespread land
mines.
Albania
Between 1990 and 1992 Albania ended 46 years of xenophobic
Communist rule and established a multiparty democracy. The
transition has proven difficult as corrupt governments have tried to
deal with high unemployment, a dilapidated infrastructure,
widespread gangsterism, and disruptive political opponents.
International observers judged legislative elections in 2001 to be
acceptable and a step toward democratic development, but identified
serious deficiencies that should be addressed through reforms in the
Albanian electoral code.
Algeria
After a century of rule by France, Algeria became
independent in 1962. The surprising first round success of the
fundamentalist FIS (Islamic Salvation Front) party in the December
1991 balloting caused the army to intervene, crack down on the FIS,
and postpone the subsequent elections. The fundamentalist response
has resulted in a continuous low-grade civil conflict with the
secular state apparatus, which nonetheless has allowed elections
featuring pro-government and moderate religious-based parties. The
FIS's armed wing, the Islamic Salvation Army, disbanded in January
2000 and many armed militants of other groups surrendered under an
amnesty program designed to promote national reconciliation.
Nevertheless, small numbers of armed militants persist in
confronting government forces and carrying out isolated attacks on
villages and other types of terrorist attacks. Other concerns
include Berber unrest, large-scale unemployment, a shortage of
housing, and the need to diversify the petroleum-based economy.
American Samoa
Settled as early as 1000 B.C., Samoa was "discovered"
by European explorers in the 18th century. International rivalries
in the latter half of the 19th century were settled by an 1899
treaty in which Germany and the US divided the Samoan archipelago.
The US formally occupied its portion - a smaller group of eastern
islands with the excellent harbor of Pago Pago - the following year.
Andorra
For 715 years, from 1278 to 1993, Andorrans lived under a
unique co-principality, ruled by the French chief of state and the
Spanish bishop of Urgel. In 1993, this feudal system was modified
with the titular heads of state retained, but the government
transformed into a parliamentary democracy. Long isolated and
impoverished, mountainous Andorra achieved considerable prosperity
since World War II through its tourist industry. Many immigrants
(legal and illegal) are attracted to the thriving economy with its
lack of income taxes.
Angola
Civil war has been the norm in Angola since independence from
Portugal in 1975. A 1994 peace accord between the government and the
National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) provided
for the integration of former UNITA insurgents into the government
and armed forces. A national unity government was installed in April
of 1997, but serious fighting resumed in late 1998, rendering
hundreds of thousands of people homeless. Up to 1.5 million lives
may have been lost in fighting over the past quarter century. The
death of insurgent leader Jonas SAVIMBI in 2002 and a subsequent
cease-fire with UNITA may bode well for the country.
Anguilla
Colonized by English settlers from Saint Kitts in 1650,
Anguilla was administered by Great Britain until the early 19th
century, when the island - against the wishes of the inhabitants -
was incorporated into a single British dependency, along with Saint
Kitts and Nevis. Several attempts at separation failed. In 1971, two
years after a revolt, Anguilla was finally allowed to secede; this
arrangement was formally recognized in 1980, with Anguilla becoming
a separate British dependency.
Antarctica
Speculation over the existence of a "southern land" was
not confirmed until the early 1820s when British and American
commercial operators and British and Russian national expeditions
began exploring the Antarctic Peninsula region and other areas south
of the Antarctic Circle. Not until 1840 was it established that
Antarctica was indeed a continent and not just a group of islands.
Several exploration "firsts" were achieved in the early 20th
century. Following World War II, there was an upsurge in scientific
research on the continent. A number of countries have set up
year-round research stations on Antarctica. Seven have made
territorial claims, but no other country recognizes these claims. In
order to form a legal framework for the activities of nations on the
continent, an Antarctic Treaty was negotiated that neither denies
nor gives recognition to existing territorial claims; signed in
1959, it entered into force in 1961.
Antigua and Barbuda
The Siboney were the first to inhabit the
islands of Antigua and Barbuda in 2400 B.C., but Arawak and Carib
Indians populated the islands when Columbus landed on his second
voyage in 1493. Early settlements by the Spanish and French were
succeeded by the English who formed a colony in 1667. Slavery,
established to run the sugar plantations on Antigua, was abolished
in 1834. The islands became an independent state within the British
Commonwealth of Nations in 1981.
Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the world's five
oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, and
the recently delimited Southern Ocean). The Northwest Passage (US
and Canada) and Northern Sea Route (Norway and Russia) are two
important seasonal waterways. A sparse network of air, ocean, river,
and land routes circumscribes the Arctic Ocean.
Argentina
Following independence from Spain in 1816, Argentina
experienced periods of internal political conflict between
conservatives and liberals and between civilian and military
factions. After World War II, a long period of Peronist
authoritarian rule and interference in subsequent governments was
followed by a military junta that took power in 1976. Democracy
returned in 1983, and numerous elections since then have underscored
Argentina's progress in democratic consolidation.
Armenia
Armenia prides itself on being the first nation to formally
adopt Christianity (early 4th century). Despite periods of autonomy,
over the centuries Armenia came under the sway of various empires
including the Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Persian, and Ottoman. It was
incorporated into Russia in 1828 and the USSR in 1920. Armenian
leaders remain preoccupied by the long conflict with Muslim
Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh, a primarily Armenian-populated
region, assigned to Soviet Azerbaijan in the 1920s by Moscow.
Armenia and Azerbaijan began fighting over the area in 1988; the
struggle escalated after both countries attained independence from
the Soviet Union in 1991. By May 1994, when a cease-fire took hold,
Armenian forces held not only Nagorno-Karabakh but also a
significant portion of Azerbaijan proper. The economies of both
sides have been hurt by their inability to make substantial progress
toward a peaceful resolution.
Aruba
Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired
by the Dutch in 1636. The island's economy has been dominated by
three main industries. A 19th century gold rush was followed by
prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The
last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry.
Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and became a
separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in
1990.
Ashmore and Cartier Islands
These uninhabited islands came under
Australian authority in 1931; formal administration began two years
later. Ashmore Reef supports a rich and diverse avian and marine
habitat; in 1983, it became a National Nature Reserve. Cartier
Island, a former bombing range, is now a marine reserve.
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the
world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean, but larger than the
Indian Ocean, Southern Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). The Kiel Canal
(Germany), Oresund (Denmark-Sweden), Bosporus (Turkey), Strait of
Gibraltar (Morocco-Spain), and the Saint Lawrence Seaway (Canada-US)
are important strategic access waterways. The decision by the
International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to
delimit a fifth world ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion
of the Atlantic Ocean south of 60 degrees south.
Australia
Australia became a commonwealth of the British Empire in
1901. It was able to take advantage of its natural resources to
rapidly develop its agricultural and manufacturing industries and to
make a major contribution to the British effort in World Wars I and
II. Long-term concerns include pollution, particularly depletion of
the ozone layer, and management and conservation of coastal areas,
especially the Great Barrier Reef. A referendum to change
Australia's status, from a commonwealth headed by the British
monarch to a republic, was defeated in 1999.
Austria
Once the center of power for the large Austro-Hungarian
Empire, Austria was reduced to a small republic after its defeat in
World War I. Following annexation by Nazi Germany in 1938 and
subsequent occupation by the victorious Allies in 1945, Austria's
status remained unclear for a decade. A State Treaty signed in 1955
ended the occupation, recognized Austria's independence, and forbade
unification with Germany. A constitutional law that same year
declared the country's "perpetual neutrality" as a condition for
Soviet military withdrawal. This neutrality, once ingrained as part
of the Austrian cultural identity, has been called into question
since the Soviet collapse of 1991 and Austria's entry into the
European Union in 1995. A prosperous country, Austria entered the
European Monetary Union in 1999.
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan - a nation with a Turkic and majority-Muslim
population - regained its independence after the collapse of the
Soviet Union in 1991. Despite a 1994 cease-fire, Azerbaijan has yet
to resolve its conflict with Armenia over the Azerbaijani
Nagorno-Karabakh enclave (largely Armenian populated). Azerbaijan
has lost 16% of its territory and must support some 800,000 refugees
and internally displaced persons as a result of the conflict.
Corruption is ubiquitous and the promise of widespread wealth from
Azerbaijan's undeveloped petroleum resources remains largely
unfulfilled.
Bahamas, The
Arawak Indians inhabited the islands when Christopher
Columbus first set foot in the New World on San Salvador in 1492.
British settlement of the islands began in 1647; the islands became
a colony in 1783. Since attaining independence from the UK in 1973,
The Bahamas have prospered through tourism and international banking
and investment management. Because of its geography, the country is
a major transshipment point for illegal drugs, particularly
shipments to the US, and its territory is used for smuggling illegal
migrants into the US.
Bahrain
Bahrain's small size and central location among Persian Gulf
countries require it to play a delicate balancing act in foreign
affairs among its larger neighbors. Facing declining oil reserves,
Bahrain has turned to petroleum processing and refining and has
transformed itself into an international banking center. The new
amir, installed in 1999, has pushed economic and political reforms
and has worked to improve relations with the Shi'a community. In
February 2001, Bahraini voters approved a referendum on the National
Action Charter - the centerpiece of the amir's political
liberalization program. In February 2002, Amir HAMAD bin Isa Al
Khalifa proclaimed himself king. In October 2002, Bahrainis elected
members of the lower house of Bahrain's reconstituted bicameral
legislature, the National Assembly.
Baker Island
The US took possession of the island in 1857, and its
guano deposits were mined by US and British companies during the
second half of the 19th century. In 1935, a short-lived attempt at
colonization was begun on this island - as well as on nearby Howland
Island - but was disrupted by World War II and thereafter abandoned.
Presently the island is a National Wildlife Refuge run by the US
Department of the Interior; a day beacon is situated near the middle
of the west coast.
Bangladesh
Bangladesh came into existence in 1971 when Bengali East
Pakistan seceded from its union with West Pakistan. About a third of
this extremely poor country floods annually during the monsoon rainy
season, hampering economic development.
Barbados
The island was uninhabited when first settled by the
British in 1627. Slaves worked the sugar plantations established on
the island until 1834 when slavery was abolished. The economy
remained heavily dependent on sugar, rum, and molasses production
through most of the 20th century. The gradual introduction of social
and political reforms in the 1940s and 1950s led to complete
independence from the UK in 1966. In the 1990s, tourism and
manufacturing surpassed the sugar industry in economic importance.
Bassas da India
This atoll is a volcanic rock surrounded by reefs
and is awash at high tide. A French possession since 1897, it was
placed under the administration of a commissioner residing in
Reunion in 1968.
Belarus
After seven decades as a constituent republic of the USSR,
Belarus attained its independence in 1991. It has retained closer
political and economic ties to Russia than any of the other former
Soviet republics. Belarus and Russia signed a treaty on a two-state
union on 8 December 1999 envisioning greater political and economic
integration. Although Belarus agreed to a framework to carry out the
accord, serious implementation has yet to take place.
Belgium
Belgium became independent from the Netherlands in 1830 and
was occupied by Germany during World Wars I and II. It has prospered
in the past half century as a modern, technologically advanced
European state and member of NATO and the EU. Tensions between the
Dutch-speaking Flemings of the north and the French-speaking
Walloons of the south have led in recent years to constitutional
amendments granting these regions formal recognition and autonomy.
Belize
Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the
independence of Belize (formerly British Honduras) until 1981.
Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992. Tourism
has become the mainstay of the economy. The country remains plagued
by high unemployment, growing involvement in the South American drug
trade, and increased urban crime.
Benin
Present day Benin was the site of Dahomey, a prominent West
African kingdom that rose in the 15th century. The territory became
a French Colony in 1872 and achieved independence on 1 August 1960,
as the Republic of Benin. A succession of military governments ended
in 1972 with the rise to power of Mathieu KEREKOU and the
establishment of a government based on Marxist-Leninist principles.
A move to representative government began in 1989. Two years later,
free elections ushered in former Prime Minister Nicephore SOGLO as
president, marking the first successful transfer of power in Africa
from a dictatorship to a democracy. KEREKOU was returned to power by
elections held in 1996 and 2001, though some irregularities were
alleged.
Bermuda
Bermuda was first settled in 1609 by shipwrecked English
colonists headed for Virginia. Tourism to the island to escape North
American winters first developed in Victorian times. Tourism
continues to be important to the island's economy, although
international business has overtaken it in recent years. Bermuda has
developed into a highly successful offshore financial center. A
referendum on independence was soundly defeated in 1995.
Bhutan
In 1865, Britain and Bhutan signed the Treaty of Sinchulu,
under which Bhutan would receive an annual subsidy in exchange for
ceding some border land. Under British influence, a monarchy was set
up in 1907; three years later, a treaty was signed whereby the
British agreed not to interfere in Bhutanese internal affairs and
Bhutan allowed Britain to direct its foreign affairs. This role was
assumed by independent India after 1947. Two years later, a formal
Indo-Bhutanese accord returned the areas of Bhutan annexed by the
British, formalized the annual subsidies the country received, and
defined India's responsibilities in defense and foreign relations. A
refugee issue of some 100,000 Bhutanese in Nepal remains unresolved;
90% of the refugees are housed in seven United Nations Office of the
High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) camps. Maoist Assamese
separatists from India, who have established themselves in the
southeast portion of Bhutan, have drawn Indian cross-border
incursions.
Bolivia
Bolivia, named after independence fighter Simon BOLIVAR,
broke away from Spanish rule in 1825; much of its subsequent history
has consisted of a series of nearly 200 coups and counter-coups.
Comparatively democratic civilian rule was established in the 1980s,
but leaders have faced difficult problems of deep-seated poverty,
social unrest, and drug production. Current goals include attracting
foreign investment, strengthening the educational system, resolving
disputes with coca growers over Bolivia's counterdrug efforts,
continuing the privatization program, and waging an anticorruption
campaign.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina's declaration of
sovereignty in October 1991, was followed by a declaration of
independence from the former Yugoslavia on 3 March 1992 after a
referendum boycotted by ethnic Serbs. The Bosnian Serbs - supported
by neighboring Serbia and Montenegro - responded with armed
resistance aimed at partitioning the republic along ethnic lines and
joining Serb-held areas to form a "greater Serbia." In March 1994,
Bosniaks and Croats reduced the number of warring factions from
three to two by signing an agreement creating a joint Bosniak/Croat
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 21 November 1995, in
Dayton, Ohio, the warring parties initialed a peace agreement that
brought to a halt three years of interethnic civil strife (the final
agreement was signed in Paris on 14 December 1995). The Dayton
Agreement retained Bosnia and Herzegovina's international boundaries
and created a joint multi-ethnic and democratic government. This
national government was charged with conducting foreign, economic,
and fiscal policy. Also recognized was a second tier of government
comprised of two entities roughly equal in size: the Bosniak/Croat
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Bosnian Serb-led
Republika Srpska (RS). The Federation and RS governments were
charged with overseeing internal functions. In 1995-96, a NATO-led
international peacekeeping force (IFOR) of 60,000 troops served in
Bosnia to implement and monitor the military aspects of the
agreement. IFOR was succeeded by a smaller, NATO-led Stabilization
Force (SFOR) whose mission is to deter renewed hostilities. SFOR
remains in place although troop levels were reduced to approximately
12,000 by the close of 2002.
Botswana
Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana
adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. Four decades of
uninterrupted civilian leadership, progressive social policies, and
significant capital investment have created one of the most dynamic
economies in Africa. Mineral extraction, principally diamond mining,
dominates economic activity, though tourism is a growing sector due
to the country's conservation practices and extensive nature
preserves. Botswana has the world's highest known rate of HIV/AIDS
infection, but also one of Africa's most progressive and
comprehensive programs for dealing with the disease.
Bouvet Island
This uninhabited volcanic island is almost entirely
covered by glaciers and is difficult to approach. It was discovered
in 1739 by a French naval officer after whom the island was named.
No claim was made until 1825, when the British flag was raised. In
1928, the UK waived its claim in favor of Norway, which had occupied
the island the previous year. In 1971, Bouvet Island and the
adjacent territorial waters were designated a nature reserve. Since
1977, Norway has run an automated meteorological station on the
island.
Brazil
Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil
became an independent nation in 1822. By far the largest and most
populous country in South America, Brazil has overcome more than
half a century of military intervention in the governance of the
country to pursue industrial and agricultural growth and development
of the interior. Exploiting vast natural resources and a large labor
pool, Brazil is today South America's leading economic power and a
regional leader. Highly unequal income distribution remains a
pressing problem.
British Indian Ocean Territory
Established as a territory of the UK
in 1965, a number of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT)
islands were transferred to the Seychelles when it attained
independence in 1976. Subsequently, BIOT has consisted only of the
six main island groups comprising the Chagos Archipelago. The
largest and most southerly of the islands, Diego Garcia, contains a
joint UK-US naval support facility. All of the remaining islands are
uninhabited. Former agricultural workers, earlier residents in the
islands, were relocated primarily to Mauritius but also to the
Seychelles, between 1967 and 1973. In 2000, a British High Court
ruling invalidated the local immigration order that had excluded
them from the archipelago, but upheld the special military status of
Diego Garcia.
British Virgin Islands
First settled by the Dutch in 1648, the
islands were annexed in 1672 by the English. The economy is closely
tied to the larger and more populous US Virgin Islands to the west;
the US dollar is the legal currency.
Brunei
The Sultanate of Brunei's influence peaked between the 15th
and 17th centuries when its control extended over coastal areas of
northwest Borneo and the southern Philippines. Brunei subsequently
entered a period of decline brought on by internal strife over royal
succession, colonial expansion of European powers, and piracy. In
1888, Brunei became a British protectorate; independence was
achieved in 1984. The same family has ruled Brunei for over six
centuries. Brunei benefits from extensive petroleum and natural gas
fields, the source of one of the highest per capita GDPs in the
developing world.
Bulgaria
The Bulgars, a Central Asian Turkic tribe, merged with the
local Slavic inhabitants in the late 7th century to form the first
Bulgarian state. In succeeding centuries, Bulgaria struggled with
the Byzantine Empire to assert its place in the Balkans, but by the
end of the 14th century the country was overrun by the Ottoman
Turks. Bulgaria regained its independence in 1878, but having fought
on the losing side in both World Wars, it fell within the Soviet
sphere of influence and became a People's Republic in 1946.
Communist domination ended in 1990, when Bulgaria held its first
multiparty election since World War II and began the contentious
process of moving toward political democracy and a market economy
while combating inflation, unemployment, corruption, and crime.
Today, reforms and democratization keep Bulgaria on a path toward
eventual integration into NATO and the EU - with which it began
accession negotiations in 2000.
Burkina Faso
Independence from France came to Burkina Faso (formerly
Upper Volta) in 1960. Repeated military coups during the 1970s and
1980s were followed by multiparty elections in the early 1990s.
Burkina Faso's high population density and limited natural resources
result in poor economic prospects for the majority of its citizens.
Every year, several hundred thousand seasonal farm workers seek
employment in Cote d'Ivoire and Ghana and are adversely affected by
instability in those regions.
Burma
Britain conquered Burma over a period of 62 years (1824-1886)
and incorporated it into its Indian Empire. Burma was administered
as a province of India until 1937 when it became a separate,
self-governing colony; independence outside of the Commonwealth was
attained in 1948. Gen. NE WIN dominated the government from 1962 to
1988, first as military ruler, then as president, and later as
political kingmaker. Despite multiparty elections in 1990 that
resulted in the main opposition party winning a decisive victory,
the ruling military junta refused to hand over power. Key opposition
leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient AUNG SAN SUU KYI, under house
arrest from 1989 to 1995, was again placed under house detention
from September 2000 to May 2002 and again in May 2003; her
supporters are routinely harassed or jailed.
Burundi
Burundi's first democratically elected president was
assassinated in October 1993 after only four months in office. Since
then, some 200,000 Burundians have perished in widespread, often
intense ethnic violence between Hutu and Tutsi factions. Hundreds of
thousands have been internally displaced or have become refugees in
neighboring countries. Burundi troops, seeking to secure their
borders, intervened in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of
the Congo in 1998. More recently, many of these troops have been
redeployed back to Burundi to deal with periodic upsurges in rebel
activity. A new transitional government, inaugurated on 1 November
2001, was to be the first step toward holding national elections in
three years. While the Government of Burundi signed a cease-fire
agreement in December 2002 with three of Burundi's four Hutu rebel
groups, implementation of the agreement has been problematic and one
rebel group refuses to sign on, clouding prospects for a sustainable
peace.
Cambodia
Following a five-year struggle, Communist Khmer Rouge
forces captured Phnom Penh in 1975 and ordered the evacuation of all
cities and towns; over 1 million displaced people died from
execution or enforced hardships. A 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove
the Khmer Rouge into the countryside and touched off almost 20 years
of fighting. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some
semblance of normalcy as did the rapid diminishment of the Khmer
Rouge in the mid-1990s. A coalition government, formed after
national elections in 1998, brought renewed political stability and
the surrender of remaining Khmer Rouge forces in 1998.
Cameroon
The former French Cameroon and part of British Cameroon
merged in 1961 to form the present country. Cameroon has generally
enjoyed stability, which has permitted the development of
agriculture, roads, and railways, as well as a petroleum industry.
Despite movement toward democratic reform, political power remains
firmly in the hands of an ethnic oligarchy.
Canada
A land of vast distances and rich natural resources, Canada
became a self-governing dominion in 1867 while retaining ties to the
British crown. Economically and technologically the nation has
developed in parallel with the US, its neighbor to the south across
an unfortified border. Its paramount political problem continues to
be the relationship of the province of Quebec, with its
French-speaking residents and unique culture, to the remainder of
the country.
Cape Verde
The uninhabited islands were discovered and colonized by
the Portuguese in the 15th century; they subsequently became a
trading center for African slaves and later an important coaling and
resupply stop for whaling and transatlantic shipping. Following
independence in 1975, and a tentative interest in unification with
Guinea-Bissau, a one-party system was established and maintained
until multi-party elections were held in 1990. Cape Verde continues
to exhibit one of Africa's most stable democratic governments.
Repeated droughts during the second half of the 20th century caused
significant hardship and prompted heavy emigration. As a result,
Cape Verde's expatriate population is greater than its domestic one.
Most Cape Verdeans have both African and Portuguese antecedents.
Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands were colonized from Jamaica by the
British during the 18th and 19th centuries. Administered by Jamaica
since 1863, they remained a British dependency after 1962 when the
former became independent.
Central African Republic
The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari
became the Central African Republic upon independence in 1960. After
three tumultuous decades of misrule - mostly by military governments
- civilian rule was established in 1993 and lasted for one decade.
In March 2003 a military coup deposed the civilian government of
President Ange-Felix PATASSE and has since established a new
government.
Chad
Chad, part of France's African holdings until 1960, endured
three decades of ethnic warfare as well as invasions by Libya before
a semblance of peace was finally restored in 1990. The government
eventually suppressed or came to terms with most political-military
groups, settled a territorial dispute with Libya on terms favorable
to Chad, drafted a democratic constitution, and held multiparty
presidential and National Assembly elections in 1996 and 1997,
respectively. In 1998, a new rebellion broke out in northern Chad,
which continued to escalate throughout 2000. A peace agreement,
signed in January 2002 between the government and the rebels,
provides for the demobilization of the rebels and their
reintegration into the political system. Despite movement toward
democratic reform, power remains in the hands of a northern ethnic
oligarchy.
Chile
A three-year-old Marxist government was overthrown in 1973 by
a dictatorial military regime led by Augusto PINOCHET, who ruled
until a freely elected president was installed in 1990. Sound
economic policies, first implemented by the PINOCHET dictatorship,
led to unprecedented growth in 1991-97 and have helped secure the
country's commitment to democratic and representative government.
China
For centuries China stood as a leading civilization, outpacing
the rest of the world in the arts and sciences. But in the 19th and
early 20th centuries, China was beset by civil unrest, major
famines, military defeats, and foreign occupation. After World War
II, the Communists under MAO Zedong established a dictatorship that,
while ensuring China's sovereignty, imposed strict controls over
everyday life and cost the lives of tens of millions of people.
After 1978, his successor DENG Xiaoping gradually introduced
market-oriented reforms and decentralized economic decision-making.
Output quadrupled by 2000. Political controls remain tight while
economic controls continue to be relaxed.
Christmas Island
Named in 1643 for the day of its discovery, the
island was annexed and settlement was begun by the UK in 1888.
Phosphate mining began in the 1890s. The UK transferred sovereignty
to Australia in 1958. Almost two-thirds of the island has been
declared a national park.
Clipperton Island
This isolated island was named for John
CLIPPERTON, a pirate who made it his hideout early in the 18th
century. Annexed by France in 1855, it was seized by Mexico in 1897.
Arbitration eventually awarded the island to France, which took
possession in 1935.
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
There are 27 coral islands in the group.
Captain William Keeling discovered the islands in 1609, but they
remained uninhabited until the 19th century. Annexed by the UK in
1857, they were transferred to the Australian Government in 1955.
The population on the two inhabited islands generally is split
between the ethnic Europeans on West Island and the ethnic Malays on
Home Island.
Colombia
Colombia was one of the three countries that emerged from
the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Ecuador and
Venezuela). A 40-year insurgent campaign to overthrow the Colombian
Government escalated during the 1990s, undergirded in part by funds
from the drug trade. Although the violence is deadly and large
swaths of the countryside are under guerrilla influence, the
movement lacks the military strength or popular support necessary to
overthrow the government. An anti-insurgent army of paramilitaries
has grown to be several thousand strong in recent years, challenging
the insurgents for control of territory and illicit industries such
as the drug trade and the government's ability to exert its dominion
over rural areas. While Bogota steps up efforts to reassert
government control throughout the country, neighboring countries
worry about the violence spilling over their borders.
Comoros
Unstable Comoros has endured 19 coups or attempted coups
since gaining independence from France in 1975. In 1997, the islands
of Anjouan and Moheli declared their independence from Comoros. In
1999, military chief Col. AZALI seized power. He pledged to resolve
the secessionist crisis through a confederal arrangement named the
2000 Fomboni Accord. In December 2001, voters approved a new
constitution and presidential elections took place in the spring of
2002. Each island in the archipelago elected its own president and a
new union president was sworn in on May 26, 2002.
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
Since 1997, the Democratic
Republic of the Congo (DROC; formerly called Zaire) has been rent by
ethnic strife and civil war, touched off by a massive inflow in 1994
of refugees from the fighting in Rwanda and Burundi. The government
of former president MOBUTU Sese Seko was toppled by a rebellion led
by Laurent KABILA in May 1997; his regime was subsequently
challenged by a Rwanda- and Uganda-backed rebellion in August 1998.
Troops from Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia, Chad, and Sudan intervened to
support the Kinshasa regime. A cease-fire was signed on 10 July 1999
by the DROC, Zimbabwe, Angola, Uganda, Namibia, Rwanda, and
Congolese armed rebel groups, but sporadic fighting continued.
KABILA was assassinated on 16 January 2001 and his son Joseph KABILA
was named head of state ten days later. In October 2002, the new
president was successful in getting occupying Rwandan forces to
withdraw from eastern Congo; two months later, an agreement was
signed by all remaining warring parties to end the fighting and set
up a government of national unity.
Congo, Republic of the
Upon independence in 1960, the former French
region of Middle Congo became the Republic of the Congo. A quarter
century of experimentation with Marxism was abandoned in 1990 and a
democratically elected government installed in 1992. A brief civil
war in 1997 restored former Marxist President SASSOU-NGUESSO, but
ushered in a period of ethnically based unrest. Southern-based rebel
groups agreed to a final peace accord in March 2003. The Republic of
Congo is one of Africa's largest petroleum producers with
significant potential for offshore development.
Cook Islands
Named after Captain Cook, who sighted them in 1770, the
islands became a British protectorate in 1888. By 1900,
administrative control was transferred to New Zealand; in 1965
residents chose self-government in free association with New
Zealand. The emigration of skilled workers to New Zealand and
government deficits are continuing problems.
Coral Sea Islands
Scattered over some 1 million square kilometers of
ocean, the Coral Sea Islands were declared a territory of Australia
in 1969. They are uninhabited except for a small meteorological
staff on the Willis Islets. Automated weather stations, beacons, and
a lighthouse occupy many other islands and reefs.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica is a Central American success story: since the
late 19th century, only two brief periods of violence have marred
its democratic development. Although still a largely agricultural
country, it has expanded its economy to include strong technology
and tourism sectors. The standard of living is relatively high. Land
ownership is widespread.
Cote d'Ivoire
Close ties to France since independence in 1960, the
development of cocoa production for export, and foreign investment
made Cote d'Ivoire one of the most prosperous of the tropical
African states, but did not protect it from political turmoil. On 25
December 1999, a military coup - the first ever in Cote d'Ivoire's
history - overthrew the government led by President Henri Konan
BEDIE. Junta leader Robert GUEI held elections in late 2000, but
excluded prominent opposition leader Alassane OUATTARA, blatantly
rigged the polling results, and declared himself winner. Popular
protest forced GUEI to step aside and brought runner-up Laurent
GBAGBO into power. GBAGBO spent his first two years in office trying
to consolidate power to strengthen his weak mandate, but he was
unable to appease his opponents, who launched a failed coup attempt
in September 2002. Rebel forces claimed the northern half of the
country and in January 2003 were granted ministerial positions in a
unity government. However, the central government has yet to exert
control over the northern regions and tension remains high between
GBAGBO and rebel leaders. Several thousand French and West African
troops remain in Cote d'Ivoire to maintain peace and help implement
the peace accords.
Croatia
In 1918, the Croats, Serbs, and Slovenes formed a kingdom
known after 1929 as Yugoslavia. Following World War II, Yugoslavia
became a federal independent Communist state under the strong hand
of Marshal TITO. Although Croatia declared its independence from
Yugoslavia in 1991, it took four years of sporadic, but often
bitter, fighting before occupying Serb armies were mostly cleared
from Croatian lands. Under UN supervision, the last Serb-held
enclave in eastern Slavonia was returned to Croatia in 1998.
Cuba
Fidel CASTRO led a rebel army to victory in 1959; his iron rule
has held the country together since then. Cuba's Communist
revolution, with Soviet support, was exported throughout Latin
America and Africa during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The country
is now slowly recovering from a severe economic recession in 1990,
following the withdrawal of former Soviet subsidies, worth $4
billion to $6 billion annually. Cuba portrays its difficulties as
the result of the US embargo in place since 1961. Illicit migration
to the US - using homemade rafts, alien smugglers, or falsified
visas - is a continuing problem. Some 2,500 Cubans attempted the
crossing of the Straits of Florida in 2002; the US Coast Guard
apprehended about 60% of the individuals.
Cyprus
Independence from the UK was approved in 1960, with
constitutional guarantees by the Greek Cypriot majority to the
Turkish Cypriot minority. In 1974, a Greek-sponsored attempt to
seize the government was met by military intervention from Turkey,
which soon controlled almost 40% of the island. In 1983, the
Turkish-held area declared itself the "Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus," but it is recognized only by Turkey. UN-led direct talks
between the two sides to reach a comprehensive settlement to the
division of the island began in January 2002.
Czech Republic
Following the First World War, the closely related
Czechs and Slovaks of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire merged to
form Czechoslovakia. During the interwar years, the new country's
leaders were frequently preoccupied with meeting the demands of
other ethnic minorities within the republic, most notably the
Sudeten Germans and the Ruthenians (Ukrainians). After World War II,
a truncated Czechoslovakia fell within the Soviet sphere of
influence. In 1968, an invasion by Warsaw Pact troops ended the
efforts of the country's leaders to liberalize Communist party rule
and create "socialism with a human face." Anti-Soviet demonstrations
the following year ushered in a period of harsh repression. With the
collapse of Soviet authority in 1989, Czechoslovakia regained its
freedom through a peaceful "Velvet Revolution." On 1 January 1993,
the country underwent a "velvet divorce" into its two national
components, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Now a member of NATO,
the Czech Republic has moved toward integration in world markets, a
development that poses both opportunities and risks. In December
2002, the Czech Republic was invited to join the European Union
(EU). It is expected that the Czech Republic will accede to the EU
in 2004.
Denmark
Once the seat of Viking raiders and later a major north
European power, Denmark has evolved into a modern, prosperous nation
that is participating in the general political and economic
integration of Europe. It joined NATO in 1949 and the EEC (now the
EU) in 1973. However, the country has opted out of certain elements
of the European Union's Maastricht Treaty, including the European
Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) and issues concerning certain
justice and home affairs.
Djibouti
The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas became
Djibouti in 1977. Hassan Gouled APTIDON installed an authoritarian
one-party state and proceeded to serve three consecutive six-year
terms as president. Unrest among the Afars minority during the
1990's led to multi-party elections resulting in President Ismail
Omar GUELLEH attaining office in May 1999. A peace accord in 2001
ended the final phases of a ten-year uprising by Afar rebels.
Djibouti occupies a very strategic geographic location at the mouth
of the Red Sea and serves as an important transshipment location for
goods entering and leaving the east African highlands. GUELLEH
favors close ties to France, which maintains a significant military
presence in the country.
Dominica
Dominica was the last of the Caribbean islands to be
colonized by Europeans, due chiefly to the fierce resistance of the
native Caribs. France ceded possession to Great Britain in 1763,
which made the island a colony in 1805. In 1980, two years after
independence, Dominica's fortunes improved when a corrupt and
tyrannical administration was replaced by that of Mary Eugenia
CHARLES, the first female prime minister in the Caribbean, who
remained in office for 15 years. Some 3,000 Carib Indians still
living on Dominica are the only pre-Columbian population remaining
in the eastern Caribbean.
Dominican Republic
Explored and claimed by Columbus on his first
voyage in 1492, the island of Hispaniola became a springboard for
Spanish conquest of the Caribbean and the American mainland. In
1697, Spain recognized French dominion over the western third of the
island, which in 1804 became Haiti. The remainder of the island, by
then known as Santo Domingo, sought to gain its own independence in
1821, but was conquered and ruled by the Haitians for 22 years; it
finally attained independence as the Dominican Republic in 1844. A
legacy of unsettled, mostly non-representative, rule for much of its
subsequent history was brought to an end in 1966 when Joaquin
BALAGUER became president. He maintained a tight grip on power for
most of the next 30 years when international reaction to flawed
elections forced him to curtail his term in 1996. Since then,
regular competitive elections have been held in which opposition
candidates have won the presidency. The Dominican economy has had
one of the fastest growth rates in the hemisphere over the past
decade.
East Timor
The Portuguese colony of Timor declared itself
independent from Portugal on 28 November 1975 and was invaded and
occupied by Indonesian forces nine days later. It was incorporated
into Indonesia in July 1976 as the province of East Timor. A
campaign of pacification followed over the next two decades, during
which an estimated 100,000 to 250,000 individuals lost their lives.
On 30 August 1999, in a UN-supervised popular referendum, the people
of East Timor voted for independence from Indonesia. During
1999-2001, pro-integrationist militias - supported by Indonesia -
conducted indiscriminate violence. On 20 May 2002, East Timor was
internationally recognized as an independent state and the world's
newest democracy.
Ecuador
The "Republic of the Equator" was one of three countries
that emerged from the collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others
being Colombia and Venezuela). Between 1904 and 1942, Ecuador lost
territories in a series of conflicts with its neighbors. A border
war with Peru that flared in 1995 was resolved in 1999.
Egypt
The regularity and richness of the annual Nile River flood,
coupled with semi-isolation provided by deserts to the east and
west, allowed for the development of one of the world's great
civilizations. A unified kingdom arose circa 3200 B.C. and a series
of dynasties ruled in Egypt for the next three millennia. The last
native dynasty fell to the Persians in 341 B.C., who in turn were
replaced by the Greeks, Romans, and Byzantines. It was the Arabs who
introduced Islam and the Arabic language in the 7th century and who
ruled for the next six centuries. A local military caste, the
Mamluks took control about 1250 and continued to govern after the
conquest of Egypt by the Ottoman Turks in 1517. Following the
completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, Egypt became an important
world transportation hub, but also fell heavily into debt.
Ostensibly to protect its investments, Britain seized control of
Egypt's government in 1882, but nominal allegiance to the Ottoman
Empire continued until 1914. Partially independent from the UK in
1922, Egypt acquired full sovereignty following World War II. The
completion of the Aswan High Dam in 1971 and the resultant Lake
Nasser have altered the time-honored place of the Nile River in the
agriculture and ecology of Egypt. A rapidly growing population (the
largest in the Arab world), limited arable land, and dependence on
the Nile all continue to overtax resources and stress society. The
government has struggled to ready the economy for the new millennium
through economic reform and massive investment in communications and
physical infrastructure.
El Salvador
El Salvador achieved independence from Spain in 1821 and
from the Central American Federation in 1839. A 12-year civil war,
which cost about 75,000 lives, was brought to a close in 1992 when
the government and leftist rebels signed a treaty that provided for
military and political reforms.
Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea gained independence in 1968
after 190 years of Spanish rule. President OBIANG NGUEM MBASOGO has
ruled the tiny country, composed of a mainland portion plus five
inhabited islands and one of the smallest countries on the African
continent, since he seized power in a coup in 1979. Although
nominally a constitutional democracy since 1991, the 1996 and 2002
presidential elections - as well as the 1999 legislative elections -
were widely seen as being flawed.
Eritrea
Eritrea was awarded to Ethiopia in 1952 as part of a
federation. Ethiopia's annexation of Eritrea as a province 10 years
later sparked a 30-year struggle for independence that ended in 1991
with Eritrean rebels defeating governmental forces; independence was
overwhelmingly approved in a 1993 referendum. A two-and-a-half-year
border war with Ethiopia that erupted in 1998 ended under UN
auspices on 12 December 2000. Eritrea currently hosts a UN
peacekeeping operation that is monitoring the border region. An
international commission, organized to resolve the border dispute,
posted its findings in 2002 but final demarcation is on hold due to
Ethiopian objections.
Estonia
After centuries of Danish, Swedish, German, and Russian
rule, Estonia attained independence in 1918. Forcibly incorporated
into the USSR in 1940, it regained its freedom in 1991, with the
collapse of the Soviet Union. Since the last Russian troops left in
1994, Estonia has been free to promote economic and political ties
with Western Europe. Estonia received invitations to join NATO and
the EU in 2002.
Ethiopia
Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopian
monarchy maintained its freedom from colonial rule, one exception
being the Italian occupation of 1936-41. In 1974 a military junta,
the Derg, deposed Emperor Haile SELASSIE (who had ruled since 1930)
and established a socialist state. Torn by bloody coups, uprisings,
wide-scale drought, and massive refugee problems, the regime was
finally toppled by a coalition of rebel forces, the Ethiopian
People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), in 1991. A
constitution was adopted in 1994 and Ethiopia's first multiparty
elections were held in 1995. A two and a half year border war with
Eritrea ended with a peace treaty on 12 December 2000. Final
demarcation of the boundary is currently on hold due to Ethiopian
objections to an international commission's finding requiring it to
surrender sensitive territory.
Europa Island
A French possession since 1897, the island is heavily
wooded; it is the site of a small military garrison that staffs a
weather station.
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
Although first sighted by an
English navigator in 1592, the first landing (English) did not occur
until almost a century later in 1690, and the first settlement
(French) was not established until 1764. The colony was turned over
to Spain two years later and the islands have since been the subject
of a territorial dispute, first between Britain and Spain, then
between Britain and Argentina. The UK asserted its claim to the
islands by establishing a naval garrison there in 1833. Argentina
invaded the islands on 2 April 1982. The British responded with an
expeditionary force that landed seven weeks later and after fierce
fighting forced Argentine surrender on 14 June 1982.
Faroe Islands
The population of the Faroe Islands is largely
descended from Viking settlers who arrived in the 9th century. The
islands have been connected politically to Denmark since the 14th
century. A high degree of self-government was attained in 1948.
Fiji
Fiji became independent in 1970, after nearly a century as a
British colony. Democratic rule was interrupted by two military
coups in 1987, caused by concern over a government perceived as
dominated by the Indian community (descendants of contract laborers
brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century). A 1990
constitution favored native Melanesian control of Fiji, but led to
heavy Indian emigration; the population loss resulted in economic
difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians became the majority.
Amendments enacted in 1997 made the constitution more equitable.
Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a government led by
an Indo-Fijian, but a coup in May 2000 ushered in a prolonged period
of political turmoil. Parliamentary elections held in August 2001
provided Fiji with a democratically elected government and gave a
mandate to the government of Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE.
Finland
Finland was a province and then a grand duchy under Sweden
from the 12th to the 19th centuries and an autonomous grand duchy of
Russia after 1809. It finally won its complete independence in 1917.
During World War II, it was able to successfully defend its freedom
and resist invasions by the Soviet Union - albeit with some loss of
territory. In the subsequent half century, the Finns made a
remarkable transformation from a farm/forest economy to a
diversified modern industrial economy; per capita income is now on
par with Western Europe. As a member of the European Union, Finland
was the only Nordic state to join the euro system at its initiation
in January 1999.
France
Although ultimately a victor in World Wars I and II, France
suffered extensive losses in its empire, wealth, manpower, and rank
as a dominant nation-state. Nevertheless, France today is one of the
most modern countries in the world and is a leader among European
nations. Since 1958, it has constructed a presidential democracy
resistant to the instabilities experienced in earlier parliamentary
democracies. In recent years, its reconciliation and cooperation
with Germany have proved central to the economic integration of
Europe, including the introduction of the euro in January 2002. At
present, France is at the forefront of European states seeking to
exploit the momentum of monetary union to advance the creation of a
more unified and capable European defense and security apparatus.
French Guiana
First settled by the French in 1604, French Guiana was
the site of notorious penal settlements until 1951. The European
Space Agency launches its communication satellites from Kourou.
French Polynesia
The French annexed various Polynesian island groups
during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up
widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll
after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January
1996.
French Southern and Antarctic Lands
The Southern Lands consist of
two archipelagos, Iles Crozet and Iles Kerguelen, and two volcanic
islands, Ile Amsterdam and Ile Saint-Paul. They contain no permanent
inhabitants and are visited only by researchers studying the native
fauna. The Antarctic portion consists of "Adelie Land," a thin slice
of the Antarctic continent discovered and claimed by the French in
1840.
Gabon
Ruled by autocratic presidents since independence from France
in 1960, Gabon introduced a multiparty system and a new constitution
in the early 1990s that allowed for a more transparent electoral
process and for reforms of governmental institutions. A small
population, abundant natural resources, and considerable foreign
support have helped make Gabon one of the more prosperous black
African countries.
Gambia, The
The Gambia gained its independence from the UK in 1965;
it formed a short-lived federation of Senegambia with Senegal
between 1982 and 1989. In 1991 the two nations signed a friendship
and cooperation treaty. A military coup in 1994 overthrew the
president and banned political activity, but a 1996 constitution and
presidential elections, followed by parliamentary balloting in 1997,
completed a nominal return to civilian rule. The country undertook
another round of presidential and legislative elections in late 2001
and early 2002.
Gaza Strip
The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim
Self-Government Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington on 13
September 1993, provided for a transitional period not exceeding
five years of Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip
and the West Bank. Under the DOP, Israel agreed to transfer certain
powers and responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, which
includes the Palestinian Legislative Council elected in January
1996, as part of the interim self-governing arrangements in the West
Bank and Gaza Strip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for
the Gaza Strip and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4
May 1994 Cairo Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and
in additional areas of the West Bank pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28
September 1995 Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997
Protocol Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23
October 1998 Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm
el-Sheikh Agreement. The DOP provides that Israel will retain
responsibility during the transitional period for external and
internal security and for public order of settlements and Israeli
citizens. Direct negotiations to determine the permanent status of
Gaza and West Bank had begun in September 1999 after a three-year
hiatus, but have been derailed by a second intifadah that broke out
in September 2000. The resulting widespread violence in the West
Bank and Gaza Strip, Israel's military response, and instability
within the Palestinian Authority continue to undermine progress
toward a permanent agreement.
Georgia
Georgia was absorbed into the Russian Empire in the 19th
century. Independent for three years (1918-1921) following the
Russian revolution, it was forcibly incorporated into the USSR until
the Soviet Union dissolved in 1991. Ethnic separation in Abkhazia
and South Ossetia, poor governance, and Russian military bases deny
the government effective control over the entirety of the state's
internationally recognized territory. Despite myriad problems, some
progress on market reforms and democratization has been made. An
attempt by the government to manipulate legislative elections in
November 2003 touched off widespread protests that led to the
resignation of President Eduard SHEVARDNADZE.
Germany
As Europe's largest economy and most populous nation,
Germany remains a key member of the continent's economic, political,
and defense organizations. European power struggles immersed the
country in two devastating World Wars in the first half of the 20th
century and left the country occupied by the victorious Allied
powers of the US, UK, France, and the Soviet Union in 1945. With the
advent of the Cold War, two German states were formed in 1949: the
western Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the eastern German
Democratic Republic (GDR). The democratic FRG embedded itself in key
Western economic and security organizations, the EC, which became
the EU, and NATO, while the Communist GDR was on the front line of
the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact. The decline of the USSR and the end of
the Cold War allowed for German unification in 1990. Since then,
Germany has expended considerable funds to bring eastern
productivity and wages up to western standards. In January 2002,
Germany and 11 other EU countries introduced a common European
currency, the euro.
Ghana
Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast
and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first
country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. A long series
of coups resulted in the suspension of the constitution in 1981 and
the banning of political parties. A new constitution, restoring
multiparty politics, was approved in 1992. Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS, head
of state since 1981, won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996,
but was constitutionally prevented from running for a third term in
2000. He was succeeded by John KUFUOR, who defeated former Vice
President Atta MILLS in a free and fair election.
Gibraltar
Strategically important, Gibraltar was ceded to Great
Britain by Spain in the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht; the British garrison
was formally declared a colony in 1830. In referendums held in 1967
and 2002, Gibraltarians ignored Spanish pressure and voted
overwhelmingly to remain a British dependency.
Glorioso Islands
A French possession since 1892, the Glorioso
Islands are composed of two lushly vegetated coral islands (Ile
Glorieuse and Ile du Lys) and three rock islets. A military garrison
operates a weather and radio station on Ile Glorieuse.
Greece
Greece achieved its independence from the Ottoman Empire in
1829. During the second half of the 19th century and the first half
of the 20th century, it gradually added neighboring islands and
territories, most with Greek-speaking populations. Following the
defeat of Communist rebels in 1949, Greece joined NATO in 1952. A
military dictatorship, which in 1967 suspended many political
liberties and forced the king to flee the country, lasted seven
years. Democratic elections in 1974 and a referendum created a
parliamentary republic and abolished the monarchy; Greece joined the
European Community or EC in 1981 (which became the EU in 1992).
Greenland
The world's largest non-continental island, about 81%
ice-capped, Greenland was granted self-government in 1978 by the
Danish parliament. The law went into effect the following year.
Denmark continues to exercise control of Greenland's foreign affairs.
Grenada
One of the smallest independent countries in the western
hemisphere, Grenada was seized by a Marxist military council on 19
October 1983. Six days later the island was invaded by US forces and
those of six other Caribbean nations, which quickly captured the
ringleaders and their hundreds of Cuban advisers. Free elections
were reinstituted the following year.
Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe has been a French possession since 1635. The
island of Saint Martin is shared with the Netherlands; its southern
portion is named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands
Antilles and its northern portion is named Saint-Martin and is part
of Guadeloupe
Guam
Guam was ceded to the US by Spain in 1898. Captured by the
Japanese in 1941, it was retaken by the US three years later. The
military installation on the island is one of the most strategically
important US bases in the Pacific.
Guatemala
Guatemala was freed of Spanish colonial rule in 1821.
During the second half of the 20th century, it experienced a variety
of military and civilian governments as well as a 36-year guerrilla
war. In 1996, the government signed a peace agreement formally
ending the conflict, which had led to the death of more than 100,000
people and had created some 1 million refugees.
Guernsey
The island of Guernsey and the other Channel Islands
represent the last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy,
which held sway in both France and England. The islands were the
only British soil occupied by German troops in World War II.
Guinea
Independent from France since 1958, Guinea did not hold
democratic elections until 1993 when Gen. Lansana CONTE (head of the
military government) was elected president of the civilian
government. He was reelected in 1998. Unrest in Sierra Leone has
spilled over into Guinea, threatening stability and creating a
humanitarian emergency.
Guinea-Bissau
In 1994, 20 years after independence from Portugal,
the country's first multiparty legislative and presidential
elections were held. An army uprising that triggered a bloody civil
war in 1998 created hundreds of thousands of displaced persons. A
military junta ousted the president in May 1999. An interim
government turned over power in February 2000 when opposition leader
Kumba YALA took office following two rounds of transparent
presidential elections. Guinea-Bissau's transition back to democracy
will be complicated by its crippled economy, devastated in the civil
war.
Guyana
Originally a Dutch colony in the 17th century, by 1815 Guyana
had become a British possession. The abolition of slavery led to
black settlement of urban areas and the importation of indentured
servants from India to work the sugar plantations. This
ethnocultural divide has persisted and has led to turbulent
politics. Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966, but
until the early 1990s it was ruled mostly by socialist-oriented
governments. In 1992, Cheddi JAGAN was elected president, in what is
considered the country's first free and fair election since
independence. Upon his death five years later, he was succeeded by
his wife Janet, who resigned in 1999 due to poor health. Her
successor, Bharrat JAGDEO, was reelected in 2001.
Haiti
The native Arawak Amerindians - who inhabited the island of
Hispaniola when it was discovered by Columbus in 1492 - were
virtually annihilated by Spanish settlers within 25 years. In the
early 17th century, the French established a presence on Hispaniola,
and in 1697, Spain ceded to the French the western third of the
island - Haiti. The French colony, based on forestry and
sugar-related industries, became one of the wealthiest in the
Caribbean, but only through the heavy importation of African slaves
and considerable environmental degradation. In the late 18th
century, Haiti's nearly half million slaves revolted under Toussaint
L'OUVERTURE and after a prolonged struggle, became the first black
republic to declare its independence in 1804. Haiti has been plagued
by political violence for most of its history since then, and it is
now one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. Over
three decades of dictatorship followed by military rule ended in
1990 when Jean-Bertrand ARISTIDE was elected president. Most of his
term was usurped by a military takeover, but he was able to return
to office in 1994 and oversee the installation of a close associate
to the presidency in 1996. ARISTIDE won a second term as president
in 2000, and took office early in 2001. However, a political crisis
stemming from fraudulent legislative elections in 2000 has not yet
been resolved.
Heard Island and McDonald Islands
These uninhabited, barren,
sub-Antarctic islands were transferred from the UK to Australia in
1947. Populated by large numbers of seal and bird species, the
islands have been designated a nature preserve.
Holy See (Vatican City)
Popes in their secular role ruled portions
of the Italian peninsula for more than a thousand years until the
mid 19th century, when many of the Papal States were seized by the
newly united Kingdom of Italy. In 1870, the pope's holdings were
further circumscribed when Rome itself was annexed. Disputes between
a series of "prisoner" popes and Italy were resolved in 1929 by
three Lateran Treaties, which established the independent state of
Vatican City and granted Roman Catholicism special status in Italy.
In 1984, a concordat between the Holy See and Italy modified certain
of the earlier treaty provisions, including the primacy of Roman
Catholicism as the Italian state religion. Present concerns of the
Holy See include the failing health of Pope John Paul II,
interreligious dialogue and reconciliation, and the application of
church doctrine in an era of rapid change and globalization. About 1
billion people worldwide profess the Catholic faith.
Honduras
Part of Spain's vast empire in the New World, Honduras
became an independent nation in 1821. After two and one-half decades
of mostly military rule, a freely elected civilian government came
to power in 1982. During the 1980s, Honduras proved a haven for
anti-Sandinista contras fighting the Marxist Nicaraguan Government
and an ally to Salvadoran Government forces fighting against leftist
guerrillas. The country was devastated by Hurricane Mitch in 1998,
which killed about 5,600 people and caused almost $1 billion in
damage.
Hong Kong
Occupied by the UK in 1841, Hong Kong was formally ceded
by China the following year; various adjacent lands were added later
in the 19th century. Pursuant to an agreement signed by China and
the UK on 19 December 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 1 July 1997. In this
agreement, China has promised that, under its "one country, two
systems" formula, China's socialist economic system will not be
imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong will enjoy a high degree of
autonomy in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the
next 50 years.
Howland Island
Discovered by the US early in the 19th century, the
island was officially claimed by the US in 1857. Both US and British
companies mined for guano until about 1890. Earhart Light is a day
beacon near the middle of the west coast that was partially
destroyed during World War II, but has since been rebuilt; it is
named in memory of the famed aviatrix Amelia EARHART. The island is
administered by the US Department of the Interior as a National
Wildlife Refuge.
Hungary
Hungary was part of the polyglot Austro-Hungarian Empire,
which collapsed during World War I. The country fell under Communist
rule following World War II. In 1956, a revolt and announced
withdrawal from the Warsaw Pact were met with a massive military
intervention by Moscow. Under the leadership of Janos KADAR in 1968,
Hungary began liberalizing its economy, introducing so-called
"goulash Communism." Hungary held its first multiparty elections in
1990 and initiated a free market economy. It joined NATO in 1999 and
is scheduled to accede to the EU along with nine other states on 1
May 2004. In an April 2003 referendum, 84 percent voted in favor of
joining the EU.
Iceland
Settled by Norwegian and Celtic (Scottish and Irish)
immigrants during the late 9th and 10th centuries A.D., Iceland
boasts the world's oldest functioning legislative assembly, the
Althing, established in 930. Independent for over 300 years, Iceland
was subsequently ruled by Norway and Denmark. Fallout from the Askja
volcano of 1875 devastated the Icelandic economy and caused
widespread famine. Over the next quarter century, 20% of the
island's population emigrated, mostly to Canada and the US. Limited
home rule from Denmark was granted in 1874 and complete independence
attained in 1944. Literacy, longevity, income, and social cohesion
are first-rate by world standards.
India
The Indus Valley civilization, one of the oldest in the world,
goes back at least 5,000 years. Aryan tribes from the northwest
invaded about 1500 B.C.; their merger with the earlier inhabitants
created the classical Indian culture. Arab incursions starting in
the 8th century and Turkish in 12th were followed by European
traders, beginning in the late 15th century. By the 19th century,
Britain had assumed political control of virtually all Indian lands.
Nonviolent resistance to British colonialism under Mohandas GANDHI
and Jawaharlal NEHRU led to independence in 1947. The subcontinent
was divided into the secular state of India and the smaller Muslim
state of Pakistan. A third war between the two countries in 1971
resulted in East Pakistan becoming the separate nation of
Bangladesh. Fundamental concerns in India include the ongoing
dispute with Pakistan over Kashmir, massive overpopulation,
environmental degradation, extensive poverty, and ethnic and
religious strife, all this despite impressive gains in economic
investment and output.
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's
five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but larger
than the Southern Ocean and Arctic Ocean). Four critically important
access waterways are the Suez Canal (Egypt), Bab el Mandeb
(Djibouti-Yemen), Strait of Hormuz (Iran-Oman), and Strait of
Malacca (Indonesia-Malaysia). The decision by the International
Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth
ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Indian Ocean
south of 60 degrees south.
Indonesia
Indonesia is the world's largest archipelago; it achieved
independence from the Netherlands in 1949. Current issues include:
alleviating widespread poverty, implementing IMF-mandated reforms of
the banking sector, effecting a transition to a popularly-elected
government after four decades of authoritarianism, addressing
charges of cronyism and corruption, holding the military and police
accountable for human rights violations, and resolving growing
separatist pressures in Aceh and Papua.
Iran
Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in
1979 after the ruling shah was forced into exile. Conservative
clerical forces established a theocratic system of government with
ultimate political authority vested in a learned religious scholar.
A group of Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran on 4
November 1979 and held it until 20 January 1981. During 1980-88,
Iran fought a bloody, indecisive war with Iraq over disputed
territory. Over the past decade, popular dissatisfaction with the
government, driven by demographic changes, restrictive social
policies, and poor economic conditions, has created a powerful and
enduring pressure for political reform.
Iraq
Formerly part of the Ottoman Empire, Iraq was occupied by
Britain during the course of World War I; in 1920, it was declared a
League of Nations mandate under UK administration. In stages over
the next dozen years, Iraq attained its independence as a kingdom in
1932. A "republic" was proclaimed in 1958, but in actuality a series
of military strongmen have ruled the country since then, the latest
being SADDAM Husayn. Territorial disputes with Iran led to an
inconclusive and costly eight-year war (1980-88). In August 1990,
Iraq seized Kuwait, but was expelled by US-led, UN coalition forces
during the Gulf War of January-February 1991. Following Kuwait's
liberation, the UN Security Council (UNSC) required Iraq to scrap
all weapons of mass destruction and long-range missiles and to allow
UN verification inspections. Continued Iraqi noncompliance with UNSC
resolutions over a period of 12 years resulted in the US-led
invasion of Iraq in March 2003 and the ouster of the SADDAM Husayn
regime. Coalition forces remain in Iraq, helping to restore degraded
infrastructure and facilitating the establishment of a freely
elected government.
Ireland
Celtic tribes settled on the island in the 4th century B.C.
Invasions by Norsemen that began in the late 8th century were
finally ended when King Brian BORU defeated the Danes in 1014.
English invasions began in the 12th century and set off more than
seven centuries of Anglo-Irish struggle marked by fierce rebellions
and harsh repressions. A failed 1916 Easter Monday Rebellion touched
off several years of guerrilla warfare that in 1921 resulted in
independence from the UK for 26 southern counties; six northern
(Ulster) counties remained part of the United Kingdom. In 1948
Ireland withdrew from the British Commonwealth; it joined the
European Community in 1973. Irish governments have sought the
peaceful unification of Ireland and have cooperated with Britain
against terrorist groups. A peace settlement for Northern Ireland,
known as the Good Friday Agreement and approved in 1998, is
currently being implemented.
Israel
Following World War II, the British withdrew from their
mandate of Palestine, and the UN partitioned the area into Arab and
Jewish states, an arrangement rejected by the Arabs. Subsequently,
the Israelis defeated the Arabs in a series of wars without ending
the deep tensions between the two sides. The territories occupied by
Israel since the 1967 war are not included in the Israel country
profile, unless otherwise noted. On 25 April 1982, Israel withdrew
from the Sinai pursuant to the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty.
Outstanding territorial and other disputes with Jordan were resolved
in the 26 October 1994 Israel-Jordan Treaty of Peace. In addition,
on 25 May 2000, Israel withdrew unilaterally from southern Lebanon,
which it had occupied since 1982. In keeping with the framework
established at the Madrid Conference in October 1991, bilateral
negotiations were conducted between Israel and Palestinian
representatives (from the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip)
and Syria to achieve a permanent settlement. But progress toward a
permanent status agreement has been undermined by the outbreak of
Palestinian-Israeli violence since September 2000.
Italy
Italy became a nation-state in 1861 when the city-states of
the peninsula, along with Sardinia and Sicily, were united under
King Victor EMMANUEL. An era of parliamentary government came to a
close in the early 1920s when Benito MUSSOLINI established a Fascist
dictatorship. His disastrous alliance with Nazi Germany led to
Italy's defeat in World War II. A democratic republic replaced the
monarchy in 1946 and economic revival followed. Italy was a charter
member of NATO and the European Economic Community (EEC). It has
been at the forefront of European economic and political
unification, joining the European Monetary Union in 1999. Persistent
problems include illegal immigration, organized crime, corruption,
high unemployment, and the low incomes and technical standards of
southern Italy compared with the prosperous north.
Jamaica
Jamaica gained full independence within the British
Commonwealth in 1962. Deteriorating economic conditions during the
1970s led to recurrent violence and a dropoff in tourism. Elections
in 1980 saw the democratic socialists voted out of office.
Subsequent governments have been open market oriented. Political
violence marred elections during the 1990s.
Jan Mayen
This desolate, mountainous island was named after a Dutch
whaling captain who indisputably discovered it in 1614 (earlier
claims are inconclusive). Visited only occasionally by seal hunters
and trappers over the following centuries, the island came under
Norwegian sovereignty in 1929. The long dormant Haakon VII
Toppen/Beerenberg volcano resumed activity in 1970; it is the
northernmost active volcano on earth.
Japan
While retaining its time-honored culture, Japan rapidly
absorbed Western technology during the late 19th and early 20th
centuries. After its defeat in World War II, Japan recovered to
become an economic power and a staunch ally of the US. While the
emperor retains his throne as a symbol of national unity, actual
power rests in networks of powerful politicians, bureaucrats, and
business executives. The economy experienced a major slowdown
starting in the 1990s following three decades of unprecedented
growth.
Jarvis Island
First discovered by the British in 1821, the
uninhabited island was annexed by the US in 1858, but abandoned in
1879 after tons of guano had been removed. The UK annexed the island
in 1889, but never carried out plans for further exploitation. The
US occupied and reclaimed the island in 1935. Abandoned after World
War II, the island is currently a National Wildlife Refuge
administered by the US Department of the Interior; a day beacon is
situated near the middle of the west coast.
Jersey
The island of Jersey and the other Channel Islands represent
the last remnants of the medieval Dukedom of Normandy that held sway
in both France and England. These islands were the only British soil
occupied by German troops in World War II.
Johnston Atoll
Both the US and the Kingdom of Hawaii annexed
Johnston Atoll in 1858, but it was the US that mined the guano
deposits until the late 1880s. The US Navy took over the atoll in
1934, and subsequently the US Air Force assumed control in 1948. The
site was used for high-altitude nuclear tests in the 1950s and
1960s, and until late in 2000 the atoll was maintained as a storage
and disposal site for chemical weapons. Munitions destruction is now
complete. Cleanup and closure of the facility is progressing, with
completion anticipated in 2004.
Jordan
For most of its history since independence from British
administration in 1946, Jordan was ruled by King HUSSEIN (1953-99).
A pragmatic ruler, he successfully navigated competing pressures
from the major powers (US, USSR, and UK), various Arab states,
Israel, and a large internal Palestinian population, through several
wars and coup attempts. In 1989 he resumed parliamentary elections
and gradually permitted political liberalization; in 1994 a formal
peace treaty was signed with Israel. King ABDALLAH II - the eldest
son of King HUSSEIN and Princess MUNA - assumed the throne following
his father's death in February 1999. Since then, he has consolidated
his power and established his domestic priorities, including an
aggressive economic reform program. Jordan acceded to the World
Trade Organization in January 2000, and signed free trade agreements
with the United States in 2000, and with the European Free Trade
Association in 2001.
Juan de Nova Island
Named after a famous 15th century Spanish
navigator and explorer, the island has been a French possession
since 1897. It has been exploited for its guano and phosphate.
Presently a small military garrison oversees a meteorological
station.
Kazakhstan
Native Kazakhs, a mix of Turkic and Mongol nomadic tribes
who migrated into the region in the 13th century, were rarely united
as a single nation. The area was conquered by Russia in the 18th
century and Kazakhstan became a Soviet Republic in 1936. During the
1950s and 1960s agricultural "Virgin Lands" program, Soviet citizens
were encouraged to help cultivate Kazakhstan's northern pastures.
This influx of immigrants (mostly Russians, but also some other
deported nationalities) skewed the ethnic mixture and enabled
non-Kazakhs to outnumber natives. Independence has caused many of
these newcomers to emigrate. Current issues include: developing a
cohesive national identity; expanding the development of the
country's vast energy resources and exporting them to world markets;
achieving a sustainable economic growth outside the oil, gas, and
mining sectors; and strengthening relations with neighboring states
and other foreign powers.
Kenya
Founding president and liberation struggle icon Jomo KENYATTA
led Kenya from independence until his death in 1978, when President
Daniel Toroitich arap MOI took power in a constitutional succession.
The country was a de facto one-party state from 1969 until 1982 when
the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU) made itself the sole
legal party in Kenya. MOI acceded to internal and external pressure
for political liberalization in late 1991. The ethnically fractured
opposition failed to dislodge KANU from power in elections in 1992
and 1997, which were marred by violence and fraud, but are viewed as
having generally reflected the will of the Kenyan people. President
MOI stepped down in December of 2002 following fair and peaceful
elections. Mwai KIBAKI, running as the candidate of the multiethnic,
united opposition group, the National Rainbow Coalition, defeated
KANU candidate Uhuru KENYATTA and assumed the presidency following a
campaign centered on an anticorruption platform.
Kingman Reef
The US annexed the reef in 1922. Its sheltered lagoon
served as a way station for flying boats on Hawaii-to-American Samoa
flights during the late 1930s. There are no terrestrial plants on
the reef, which is frequently awash, but it does support abundant
and diverse marine fauna and flora. In 2001, the waters surrounding
the reef out to 12 NM around the reef were designated a US National
Wildlife Refuge.
Kiribati
The Gilbert Islands were granted self-rule by the UK in
1971 and complete independence in 1979 under the new name of
Kiribati. The US relinquished all claims to the sparsely inhabited
Phoenix and Line Island groups in a 1979 treaty of friendship with
Kiribati.
Korea, North
Following World War II, Korea was split, with the
northern half coming under Communist domination and the southern
portion becoming Western-oriented. KIM Chong-il has ruled North
Korea since his father and the country's founder, president KIM
Il-song, died in 1994. After decades of mismanagement, the North
relies heavily on international food aid to feed its population
while continuing to expend resources to maintain an army of about 1
million. North Korea's long-range missile development and research
into nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and massive
conventional armed forces are of major concern to the international
community. In December 2002, North Korea repudiated a 1994 agreement
that shut down its nuclear reactors and expelled UN monitors,
further raising fears it would produce nuclear weapons.
Korea, South
After World War II, a republic was set up in the
southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a Communist-style
government was installed in the north. During the Korean War
(1950-1953), US and other UN forces intervened to defend South Korea
from North Korean attacks supported by the Chinese. An armistice was
signed in 1953, splitting the Peninsula along a demilitarized zone
at about the 38th parallel. Thereafter, South Korea achieved rapid
economic growth with per capita income rising to roughly 20 times
the level of North Korea. South Korea has maintained its commitment
to democratize its political processes. In June 2000, a historic
first North-South summit took place between the South's President
KIM Dae-jung and the North's leader KIM Chong-il.
Kuwait
Britain oversaw foreign relations and defense for the ruling
Kuwaiti AL-SABAH dynasty from 1899 until independence in 1961.
Kuwait was attacked and overrun by Iraq on 2 August 1990. Following
several weeks of aerial bombardment, a US-led, UN coalition began a
ground assault on 23 February 1991 that liberated Kuwait in four
days. Kuwait spent more than $5 billion to repair oil infrastructure
damaged during 1990-91.
Kyrgyzstan
A Central Asian country of incredible natural beauty and
proud nomadic traditions, Kyrgyzstan was annexed by Russia in 1864;
it achieved independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Current
concerns include: privatization of state-owned enterprises,
expansion of democracy and political freedoms, interethnic
relations, and combating terrorism.
Laos
In 1975, the Communist Pathet Lao took control of the
government, ending a six-century-old monarchy. Initial closer ties
to Vietnam and socialization were replaced with a gradual return to
private enterprise, a liberalization of foreign investment laws, and
the admission into ASEAN in 1997.
Latvia
After a brief period of independence between the two World
Wars, Latvia was annexed by the USSR in 1940. It reestablished its
independence in 1991 following the breakup of the Soviet Union.
Although the last Russian troops left in 1994, the status of the
Russian minority (some 30% of the population) remains of concern to
Moscow. Latvia continues to revamp its economy for eventual
integration into various Western European political and economic
institutions and was invited to join NATO and the EU in 2002.
Lebanon
Lebanon has made progress toward rebuilding its political
institutions since 1991 and the end of the devastating 16-year civil
war. Under the Ta'if Accord - the blueprint for national
reconciliation - the Lebanese have established a more equitable
political system, particularly by giving Muslims a greater say in
the political process while institutionalizing sectarian divisions
in the government. Since the end of the war, the Lebanese have
conducted several successful elections, most of the militias have
been weakened or disbanded, and the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have
extended central government authority over about two-thirds of the
country. Hizballah, the radical Shi'a party, retains its weapons.
Syria maintains about 16,000 troops in Lebanon, based mainly east of
Beirut and in the Bekaa Valley. Syria's troop deployment was
legitimized by the Arab League during Lebanon's civil war and in the
Ta'if Accord. Damascus justifies its continued military presence in
Lebanon by citing Beirut's requests and the failure of the Lebanese
Government to implement all of the constitutional reforms in the
Ta'if Accord. Israel's withdrawal from its security zone in southern
Lebanon in May 2000, however, has emboldened some Lebanese
Christians and Druze to demand that Syria withdraw its forces as
well.
Lesotho
Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon
independence from the UK in 1966. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in
1990. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after 23 years
of military rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny
following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody South
African military intervention. Constitutional reforms have since
restored political stability; peaceful parliamentary elections were
held in 2002.
Liberia
Eight years of civil strife were brought to a close in 1997
when free and open presidential and legislative elections were held.
President TAYLOR now holds strong executive power with no real
political opposition. Years of fighting, coupled with the flight of
most businesses, have disrupted formal economic activity. A still
unsettled domestic security situation has slowed the process of
rebuilding the social and economic structure of this war-torn
country. In 2001, the UN imposed sanctions on Liberian diamonds,
along with an arms embargo and a travel ban on government officials,
for Liberia's support of the rebel insurgency in Sierra Leone.
Renewed rebel activity has further eroded stability and economic
activity. A regional peace initiative commenced in the spring of
2003 but was disrupted by the Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL)
indictment of President TAYLOR on war crimes charges.
Libya
Since he took power in a 1969 military coup, Col. Muammar Abu
Minyar al-QADHAFI has espoused his own political system - a
combination of socialism and Islam - which he calls the Third
International Theory. Viewing himself as a revolutionary leader, he
used oil funds during the 1970s and 1980s to promote his ideology
outside Libya, even supporting subversives and terrorists abroad to
hasten the end of Marxism and capitalism. Libyan military adventures
failed, e.g., the prolonged foray of Libyan troops into the Aozou
Strip in northern Chad was finally repulsed in 1987. Libyan support
for terrorism decreased after UN sanctions were imposed in 1992.
Those sanctions were suspended in April 1999.
Liechtenstein
The Principality of Liechtenstein was established
within the Holy Roman Empire in 1719; it became a sovereign state in
1806. Until the end of World War I, it was closely tied to Austria,
but the economic devastation caused by that conflict forced
Liechtenstein to enter into a customs and monetary union with
Switzerland. Since World War II (in which Liechtenstein remained
neutral), the country's low taxes have spurred outstanding economic
growth. However, shortcomings in banking regulatory oversight have
resulted in concerns about the use of the financial institutions for
money laundering.
Lithuania
Independent between the two World Wars, Lithuania was
annexed by the USSR in 1940. On 11 March 1990, Lithuania became the
first of the Soviet republics to declare its independence, but this
proclamation was not generally recognized until September of 1991
(following the abortive coup in Moscow). The last Russian troops
withdrew in 1993. Lithuania subsequently has restructured its
economy for eventual integration into Western European institutions
and was invited to join NATO and the EU in 2002.
Luxembourg
Founded in 963, Luxembourg became a grand duchy in 1815
and an independent state under the Netherlands. It lost more than
half of its territory to Belgium in 1839, but gained a larger
measure of autonomy. Full independence was attained in 1867. Overrun
by Germany in both World Wars, it ended its neutrality in 1948 when
it entered into the Benelux Customs Union and when it joined NATO
the following year. In 1957, Luxembourg became one of the six
founding countries of the European Economic Community (later the
European Union) and in 1999 it joined the euro currency area.
Macau
Colonized by the Portuguese in the 16th century, Macau was the
first European settlement in the Far East. Pursuant to an agreement
signed by China and Portugal on 13 April 1987, Macau became the
Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China on 20 December
1999. China has promised that, under its "one country, two systems"
formula, China's socialist economic system will not be practiced in
Macau and that Macau will enjoy a high degree of autonomy in all
matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years.
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
International recognition
of The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's (F.Y.R.O.M.)
independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 was delayed by Greece's
objection to the new state's use of what it considered a Hellenic
name and symbols. Greece finally lifted its trade blockade in 1995,
and the two countries agreed to normalize relations, despite
continued disagreement over F.Y.R.O.M.'s use of "Macedonia."
F.Y.R.O.M.'s large Albanian minority, an ethnic Albanian armed
insurgency in F.Y.R.O.M. in 2001, and the status of neighboring
Kosovo continue to be sources of ethnic tension.
Madagascar
Formerly an independent kingdom, Madagascar became a
French colony in 1886, but regained its independence in 1960. During
1992-93, free presidential and National Assembly elections were
held, ending 17 years of single-party rule. In 1997, in the second
presidential race, Didier RATSIRAKA, the leader during the 1970s and
1980s, was returned to the presidency. The 2001 presidential
election was contested between the followers of Didier RATSIRAKA and
Marc RAVALOMANANA, nearly causing secession of half of the country.
In April 2002, the High Constitutional Court announced RAVALOMANANA
the winner.
Malawi
Established in 1891, the British protectorate of Nyasaland
became the independent nation of Malawi in 1964. After three decades
of one-party rule, the country held multiparty elections in 1994
under a provisional constitution, which took full effect the
following year. National multiparty elections were held again in
1999.
Malaysia
Malaysia was formed in 1963 through a federation of the
former British colonies of Malaya and Singapore, including the East
Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak on the northern coast of
Borneo. The first several years of the country's history were marred
by Indonesian efforts to control Malaysia, Philippine claims to
Sabah, and Singapore's secession from the federation in 1965.
Maldives
The Maldives were long a sultanate, first under Dutch and
then under British protection. They became a republic in 1968, three
years after independence. Tourism and fishing are being developed on
the archipelago.
Mali
The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France
in 1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a
few months, what formerly made up the Sudanese Republic was renamed
Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 with a
transitional government and in 1992 when Mali's first democratic
presidential election was held. After his reelection in 1997,
President Alpha KONARE continued to push through political and
economic reforms and to fight corruption. In keeping with Mali's
two-term constitutional limit, he stepped down in 2002 and was
succeeded by Amadou TOURE.
Malta
Great Britain formally acquired possession of Malta in 1814.
The island staunchly supported the UK through both World Wars and
remained in the Commonwealth when it became independent in 1964. A
decade later Malta became a republic. Since about the mid-1980s, the
island has become a freight transshipment point, financial center,
and tourist destination. It is an official candidate for EU
membership.
Man, Isle of
Part of the Norwegian Kingdom of the Hebrides until the
13th century when it was ceded to Scotland, the isle came under the
British crown in 1765. Current concerns include reviving the almost
extinct Manx Celtic language.
Marshall Islands
After almost four decades under US administration
as the easternmost part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific
Islands, the Marshall Islands attained independence in 1986 under a
Compact of Free Association. Compensation claims continue as a
result of US nuclear testing on some of the atolls between 1947 and
1962. The Marshall Islands have been home to the US Army Base
Kwajalein (USAKA) since 1964.
Martinique
Colonized by France in 1635, the island has subsequently
remained a French possession except for three brief periods of
foreign occupation.
Mauritania
Independent from France in 1960, Mauritania annexed the
southern third of the former Spanish Sahara (now Western Sahara) in
1976, but relinquished it after three years of raids by the
Polisario guerrilla front seeking independence for the territory.
Opposition parties were legalized and a new constitution approved in
1991. Two multiparty presidential elections since then were widely
seen as flawed, but October 2001 legislative and municipal elections
were generally free and open. Mauritania remains, in reality, a
one-party state. The country continues to experience ethnic tensions
between its black minority population and the dominant Maur
(Arab-Berber) populace.
Mauritius
Discovered by the Portuguese in 1505, Mauritius was
subsequently held by the Dutch, French, and British before
independence was attained in 1968. A stable democracy with regular
free elections and a positive human rights record, the country has
attracted considerable foreign investment and has earned one of
Africa's highest per capita incomes. Recent poor weather and
declining sugar prices have slowed economic growth, leading to some
protests over standards of living in the Creole community.
Mayotte
Mayotte was ceded to France along with the other islands of
the Comoros group in 1843. It was the only island in the archipelago
that voted in 1974 to retain its link with France and forego
independence.
Mexico
The site of advanced Amerindian civilizations, Mexico came
under Spanish rule for three centuries before achieving independence
early in the 19th century. A devaluation of the peso in late 1994
threw Mexico into economic turmoil, triggering the worst recession
in over half a century. The nation continues to make an impressive
recovery. Ongoing economic and social concerns include low real
wages, underemployment for a large segment of the population,
inequitable income distribution, and few advancement opportunities
for the largely Amerindian population in the impoverished southern
states. Elections held in July 2000 marked the first time since the
1910 Mexican Revolution that the opposition defeated the party in
government, the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). Vicente FOX
of the National Action Party (PAN) was sworn in on 1 December 2000
as the first chief executive elected in free and fair elections.
Micronesia, Federated States of
In 1979 the Federated States of
Micronesia, a UN Trust Territory under US administration, adopted a
constitution. In 1986 independence was attained under a Compact of
Free Association with the US. Present concerns include large-scale
unemployment, overfishing, and overdependence on US aid.
Midway Islands
The US took formal possession of the islands in 1867.
The laying of the trans-Pacific cable, which passed through the
islands, brought the first residents in 1903. Between 1935 and 1947,
Midway was used as a refueling stop for trans-Pacific flights. The
US naval victory over a Japanese fleet off Midway in 1942 was one of
the turning points of World War II. The islands continued to serve
as a naval station until closed in 1993. Today the islands are a
national wildlife refuge. From 1996 to 2001 the refuge was open to
the public. It is now temporarily closed.
Moldova
Formerly ruled by Romania, Moldova became part of the Soviet
Union at the close of World War II. Although independent from the
USSR since 1991, Russian forces have remained on Moldovan territory
east of the Dniester River supporting the Slavic majority
population, mostly Ukrainians and Russians, who have proclaimed a
"Transnistria" republic. One of the poorest nations in Europe,
Moldova became the first former Soviet state to elect a Communist as
its president in 2001.
Monaco
Economic development was spurred in the late 19th century
with a railroad linkup to France and the opening of a casino. Since
then, the principality's mild climate, splendid scenery, and
gambling facilities have made Monaco world famous as a tourist and
recreation center.
Mongolia
The Mongols gained fame in the 13th century when under
Genghis KHAN they conquered a huge Eurasian empire. After his death
the empire was divided into several powerful Mongol states, but
these broke apart in the 14th century. The Mongols eventually
retired to their original steppe homelands and came under Chinese
rule. Mongolia won its independence in 1921 with Soviet backing. A
Communist regime was installed in 1924. During the early 1990s, the
ex-Communist Mongolian People's Revolutionary Party (MPRP) gradually
yielded its monopoly on power to the Democratic Union Coalition
(DUC), which defeated the MPRP in a national election in 1996. Over
the next four years, the DUC put forward a number of key reforms to
modernize the economy and to democratize the political system. The
former Communists were a strong opposition that stalled additional
restructuring and made implementation difficult. In 2000, the MPRP
won an overwhelming victory in the legislature - with 72 of the 76
seats - and completely reshuffled the government. While it continues
many of the reform policies, the MPRP has focused on social welfare
and public order priorities.
Montserrat
Much of this island has been devastated and two-thirds of
the population has fled abroad due to the eruption of the Soufriere
Hills Volcano that began on 18 July 1995.
Morocco
Morocco's long struggle for independence from France ended
in 1956. The internationalized city of Tangier was turned over to
the new country that same year. Morocco virtually annexed Western
Sahara during the late 1970s, but final resolution on the status of
the territory remains unresolved. Gradual political reforms in the
1990s resulted in the establishment of a bicameral legislature in
1997.
Mozambique
Almost five centuries as a Portuguese colony came to a
close with independence in 1975. Large-scale emigration by whites,
economic dependence on South Africa, a severe drought, and a
prolonged civil war hindered the country's development. The ruling
party formally abandoned Marxism in 1989, and a new constitution the
following year provided for multiparty elections and a free market
economy. A UN-negotiated peace agreement with rebel forces ended the
fighting in 1992. Heavy flooding in both 1999 and 2000 severely hurt
the economy. Political stability and sound economic policies have
encouraged recent foreign investment.
Namibia
South Africa occupied the German colony of South-West Africa
during World War I and administered it as a mandate until after
World War II, when it annexed the territory. In 1966 the Marxist
South-West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) guerrilla group
launched a war of independence for the area that was soon named
Namibia, but it was not until 1988 that South Africa agreed to end
its administration in accordance with a UN peace plan for the entire
region. Independence came in 1990 following multi-party elections
and the establishment of a constitution. President NUJOMA is
currently serving his third term as president.
Nauru
Nauru's phosphate deposits began to be mined early in the 20th
century by a German-British consortium; the island was occupied by
Australian forces in World War I. Nauru achieved independence in
1968 and joined the UN in 1999. Nauru is the world's smallest
independent republic.
Navassa Island
This uninhabited island was claimed by the US in 1857
for its guano, and mining took place between 1865 and 1898. The
lighthouse, built in 1917, was shut down in 1996 and administration
of Navassa Island transferred from the Coast Guard to the Department
of the Interior. A 1998 scientific expedition to the island
described it as a unique preserve of Caribbean biodiversity; the
following year it became a National Wildlife Refuge.
Nepal
In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of
rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of
government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy
within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. A Maoist
insurgency, launched in 1996, has gained traction and is threatening
to bring down the regime. In 2001, the Crown Prince massacred ten
members of the royal family, including the king and queen, and then
took his own life. In October 2002, the new king dismissed the prime
minister and his cabinet for "incompetence" after they dissolved the
parliament and were subsequently unable to hold elections because of
the ongoing insurgency. The country is now governed by the king and
his appointed cabinet, which has negotiated a cease-fire with the
Maoist insurgents, until elections can be held at some unspecified
future date.
Netherlands
The Kingdom of the Netherlands was formed in 1815. In
1830 Belgium seceded and formed a separate kingdom. The Netherlands
remained neutral in World War I, but suffered invasion and
occupation by Germany in World War II. A modern, industrialized
nation, the Netherlands is also a large exporter of agricultural
products. The country was a founding member of NATO and the EC (now
the EU), and participated in the introduction of the Economic and
Monetary Union (EMU) in 1999.
Netherlands Antilles
Once the center of the Caribbean slave trade,
the island of Curacao was hard hit by the abolition of slavery in
1863. Its prosperity (and that of neighboring Aruba) was restored in
the early 20th century with the construction of oil refineries to
service the newly discovered Venezuelan oil fields. The island of
Saint Martin is shared with France; its northern portion is named
Saint-Martin and is part of Guadeloupe, and its southern portion is
named Sint Maarten and is part of the Netherlands Antilles.
New Caledonia
Settled by both Britain and France during the first
half of the 19th century, the island was made a French possession in
1853. It served as a penal colony for four decades after 1864.
Agitation for independence during the 1980s and early 1990s seems to
have dissipated.
New Zealand
The Polynesian Maori reached New Zealand in about A.D.
800. In 1840, their chieftains entered into a compact with Britain,
the Treaty of Waitangi, in which they ceded sovereignty to Queen
Victoria while retaining territorial rights. In that same year, the
British began the first organized colonial settlement. A series of
land wars between 1843 and 1872 ended with the defeat of the native
peoples. The British colony of New Zealand became an independent
dominion in 1907 and supported the UK militarily in both World Wars.
New Zealand's full participation in a number of defense alliances
lapsed by the 1980s. In recent years, the government has sought to
address longstanding Maori grievances.
Nicaragua
The Pacific Coast of Nicaragua was settled as a Spanish
colony from Panama in the early 16th century. Independence from
Spain was declared in 1821 and the country became an independent
republic in 1838. Britain occupied the Caribbean Coast in the first
half of the 19th century, but gradually ceded control of the region
in subsequent decades. Violent opposition to governmental
manipulation and corruption spread to all classes by 1978 and
resulted in a short-lived civil war that brought the Marxist
Sandinista guerrillas to power in 1979. Nicaraguan aid to leftist
rebels in El Salvador caused the US to sponsor anti-Sandinista
contra guerrillas through much of the 1980s. Free elections in 1990,
1996, and again in 2001 saw the Sandinistas defeated. The country
has slowly rebuilt its economy during the 1990s, but was hard hit by
Hurricane Mitch in 1998.
Niger
Not until 1993, 33 years after independence from France, did
Niger hold it's first free and open elections. A 1995 peace accord
ended a five-year Tuareg insurgency in the north. Coups in 1996 and
1999 were followed by the creation of a National Reconciliation
Council that effected a transition to civilian rule by December 1999.
Nigeria
Following nearly 16 years of military rule, a new
constitution was adopted in 1999, and a peaceful transition to
civilian government was completed. The president faces the daunting
task of rebuilding a petroleum-based economy, whose revenues have
been squandered through corruption and mismanagement, and
institutionalizing democracy. In addition, the OBASANJO
administration must defuse longstanding ethnic and religious
tensions, if it is to build a sound foundation for economic growth
and political stability. Despite some irregularities the April 2003
elections marked the first civilian transfer of power in Nigeria's
history.
Niue
Niue's remoteness, as well as cultural and linguistic
differences between its Polynesian inhabitants and those of the rest
of the Cook Islands, have caused it to be separately administered.
The population of the island continues to drop (from a peak of 5,200
in 1966 to about 2,100 in 2002), with substantial emigration to New
Zealand, 2,400 km to the southwest.
Norfolk Island
Two British attempts at establishing the island as a
penal colony (1788-1814 and 1825-55) were ultimately abandoned. In
1856, the island was resettled by Pitcairn Islanders, descendants of
the Bounty mutineers and their Tahitian companions.
Northern Mariana Islands
Under US administration as part of the UN
Trust Territory of the Pacific, the people of the Northern Mariana
Islands decided in the 1970s not to seek independence but instead to
forge closer links with the US. Negotiations for territorial status
began in 1972. A covenant to establish a commonwealth in political
union with the US was approved in 1975. A new government and
constitution went into effect in 1978.
Norway
Two centuries of Viking raids into Europe tapered off
following the adoption of Christianity by King Olav TRYGGVASON in
994. Conversion of the Norwegian kingdom occurred over the next
several decades. In 1397, Norway was absorbed into a union with
Denmark that was to last for more than four centuries. In 1814,
Norwegians resisted the cession of their country to Sweden and
adopted a new constitution. Sweden then invaded Norway but agreed to
let Norway keep its constitution in return for accepting the union
under a Swedish king. Rising nationalism throughout the 19th century
led to a 1905 referendum granting Norway independence. Norway
remained neutral in World War I and proclaimed its neutrality at the
outset of World War II. Nevertheless, it was not able to avoid a
five-year occupation by Nazi Germany (1940-1945). In 1949,
neutrality was abandoned and Norway became a member of NATO.
Discovery of oil and gas in adjacent waters in the late 1960s
boosted Norway's economic fortunes. The current focus is on
containing spending on the extensive welfare system and planning for
the time when petroleum reserves are depleted. In referenda held in
1972 and 1994, Norway rejected joining the EU.
Oman
In 1970, QABOOS bin Said Al Said ousted his father and has
ruled as sultan ever since. His extensive modernization program has
opened the country to the outside world and has preserved a
long-standing political and military relationship with the UK.
Oman's moderate, independent foreign policy has sought to maintain
good relations with all Middle Eastern countries.
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the world's five
oceans (followed by the Atlantic Ocean, Indian Ocean, Southern
Ocean, and Arctic Ocean). Strategically important access waterways
include the La Perouse, Tsugaru, Tsushima, Taiwan, Singapore, and
Torres Straits. The decision by the International Hydrographic
Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the
Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Pacific Ocean south of 60
degrees south.
Pakistan
The separation in 1947 of British India into the Muslim
state of Pakistan (with two sections West and East) and largely
Hindu India was never satisfactorily resolved. A third war between
these countries in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan seceding and
becoming the separate nation of Bangladesh. A dispute over the state
of Kashmir is ongoing. In response to Indian nuclear weapons
testing, Pakistan conducted its own tests in 1998.
Palau
After three decades as part of the UN Trust Territory of the
Pacific under US administration, this westernmost cluster of the
Caroline Islands opted for independence in 1978 rather than join the
Federated States of Micronesia. A Compact of Free Association with
the US was approved in 1986, but not ratified until 1993. It entered
into force the following year, when the islands gained independence.
Palmyra Atoll
The Kingdom of Hawaii claimed the atoll in 1862, and
the US included it among the Hawaiian Islands when it annexed the
archipelago in 1898. The Hawaii Statehood Act of 1959 did not
include Palmyra Atoll, which is now privately owned by the Nature
Conservancy. This organization is managing the atoll as a nature
preserve. The lagoons and surrounding waters within the 12 nautical
mile US territorial seas were transferred to the US Fish and
Wildlife Service and were designated a National Wildlife Refuge in
January 2001.
Panama
With US backing, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903 and
promptly signed a treaty with the US allowing for the construction
of a canal and US sovereignty over a strip of land on either side of
the structure (the Panama Canal Zone). The Panama Canal was built by
the US Army Corps of Engineers between 1904 and 1914. On 7 September
1977, an agreement was signed for the complete transfer of the Canal
from the US to Panama by the end of 1999. Certain portions of the
Zone and increasing responsibility over the Canal were turned over
in the intervening years. With US help, dictator Manuel NORIEGA was
deposed in 1989. The entire Panama Canal, the area supporting the
Canal, and remaining US military bases were turned over to Panama by
or on 31 December 1999.
Papua New Guinea
The eastern half of the island of New Guinea -
second largest in the world - was divided between Germany (north)
and the UK (south) in 1885. The latter area was transferred to
Australia in 1902, which occupied the northern portion during World
War I and continued to administer the combined areas until
independence in 1975. A nine-year secessionist revolt on the island
of Bougainville ended in 1997, after claiming some 20,000 lives.
Paracel Islands
The Paracel Islands are surrounded by productive
fishing grounds and by potential oil and gas reserves. In 1932,
French Indochina annexed the islands and set up a weather station on
Pattle Island; maintenance was continued by its successor, Vietnam.
China has occupied the Paracel Islands since 1974, when its troops
seized a South Vietnamese garrison occupying the western islands.
The islands are claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam.
Paraguay
In the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance (1865-70),
Paraguay lost two-thirds of all adult males and much of its
territory. It stagnated economically for the next half century. In
the Chaco War of 1932-35, large, economically important areas were
won from Bolivia. The 35-year military dictatorship of Alfredo
STROESSNER was overthrown in 1989, and, despite a marked increase in
political infighting in recent years, relatively free and regular
presidential elections have been held since then.
Peru
Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean
civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was
captured by the Spanish conquistadores in 1533. Peruvian
independence was declared in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces
defeated in 1824. After a dozen years of military rule, Peru
returned to democratic leadership in 1980, but experienced economic
problems and the growth of a violent insurgency. President Alberto
FUJIMORI's election in 1990 ushered in a decade that saw a dramatic
turnaround in the economy and significant progress in curtailing
guerrilla activity. Nevertheless, the president's increasing
reliance on authoritarian measures and an economic slump in the late
1990s generated mounting dissatisfaction with his regime. FUJIMORI
won reelection to a third term in the spring of 2000, but
international pressure and corruption scandals led to his ouster by
Congress in November of that year. A caretaker government oversaw
new elections in the spring of 2001, which ushered in Alejandro
TOLEDO as the new head of government.
Philippines
The Philippines were ceded by Spain to the US in 1898
following the Spanish-American War. They attained independence in
1946 after Japanese occupation in World War II. The 21-year rule of
Ferdinand MARCOS ended in 1986, when a widespread popular rebellion
forced him into exile. In 1992, the US closed its last military
bases on the islands. The Philippines has had two electoral
presidential transitions since the removal of MARCOS. In January
2001, the Supreme Court declared Joseph ESTRADA unable to rule in
view of mass resignations from his government and administered the
oath of office to Vice President Gloria MACAPAGAL-ARROYO as his
constitutional successor. The government continues to struggle with
Muslim insurgencies in the south.
Pitcairn Islands
Pitcairn Island was discovered in 1767 by the
British and settled in 1790 by the Bounty mutineers and their
Tahitian companions. Pitcairn was the first Pacific island to become
a British colony (in 1838) and today remains the last vestige of
that empire in the South Pacific. Outmigration, primarily to New
Zealand, has thinned the population from a peak of 233 in 1937 to
less than 50 today.
Poland
Poland is an ancient nation that was conceived around the
middle of the 10th century. Its golden age occurred in the 16th
century. During the following century, the strengthening of the
gentry and internal disorders weakened the nation, until an
agreement in 1772 between Russia, Prussia, and Austria partitioned
Poland. Poland regained its independence in 1918 only to be overrun
by Germany and the Soviet Union in World War II. It became a Soviet
satellite state following the war, but its government was
comparatively tolerant and progressive. Labor turmoil in 1980 led to
the formation of the independent trade union "Solidarity" that over
time became a political force and by 1990 had swept parliamentary
elections and the presidency. A "shock therapy" program during the
early 1990s enabled the country to transform its economy into one of
the most robust in Central Europe, but Poland currently suffers low
GDP growth and high unemployment. Solidarity suffered a major defeat
in the 2001 parliamentary elections when it failed to elect a single
deputy to the lower house of Parliament, and the new leaders of the
Solidarity Trade Union subsequently pledged to reduce the Trade
Union's political role. Poland joined NATO in 1999 and is scheduled
to accede to the European Union along with nine other states on 1
May 2004.
Portugal
Following its heyday as a world power during the 15th and
16th centuries, Portugal lost much of its wealth and status with the
destruction of Lisbon in a 1755 earthquake, occupation during the
Napoleonic Wars, and the independence in 1822 of Brazil as a colony.
A 1910 revolution deposed the monarchy; for most of the next six
decades, repressive governments ran the country. In 1974, a
left-wing military coup installed broad democratic reforms. The
following year, Portugal granted independence to all of its African
colonies. Portugal entered the EC (now the EU) in 1986.
Puerto Rico
Populated for centuries by aboriginal peoples, the
island was claimed by the Spanish Crown in 1493 following Columbus'
second voyage to the Americas. In 1898, after 400 years of colonial
rule that saw the indigenous population nearly exterminated and
African slave labor introduced, Puerto Rico was ceded to the US as a
result of the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted US
citizenship in 1917 and popularly elected governors have served
since 1948. In 1952, a constitution was enacted providing for
internal self-government. In plebiscites held in 1967, 1993, and
1998 voters chose to retain commonwealth status.
Qatar
Ruled by the Al Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar
transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for
pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural
gas revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari
economy was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum
revenues by the amir, who had ruled the country since 1972. He was
overthrown by his son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa Al Thani,
in a bloodless coup in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its
longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Oil
and natural gas revenues enable Qatar to have a per capita income
not far below the leading industrial countries of Western Europe.
Reunion
The Portuguese discovered the uninhabited island in 1513.
From the 17th to the 19th centuries, French immigration,
supplemented by influxes of Africans, Chinese, Malays, and Malabar
Indians, gave the island its ethnic mix. The opening of the Suez
Canal in 1869 cost the island its importance as a stopover on the
East Indies trade route.
Romania
Soviet occupation following World War II led to the
formation of a Communist "peoples republic" in 1947 and the
abdication of the king. The decades-long rule of dictator Nicolae
CEAUSESCU, who took power in 1965, and his Securitate police state
became increasingly oppressive and draconian through the 1980s.
CEAUSESCU was overthrown and executed in late 1989. Former
Communists dominated the government until 1996, when they were swept
from power by a fractious coalition of centrist parties. Currently,
the Social Democratic Party forms a nominally minority government,
which governs with the support of the opposition Democratic Union of
Hungarians in Romania. Bucharest must address rampant corruption,
while invigorating lagging economic and democratic reforms, before
Romania can achieve its hope of joining the European Union.
Russia
Repeated devastating defeats of the Russian army in World War
I led to widespread rioting in the major cities of the Russian
Empire and to the overthrow in 1917 of the 300-year old Romanov
Dynasty. The Communists under Vladimir LENIN seized power soon after
and formed the USSR. The brutal rule of Josef STALIN (1928-53)
strengthened Russian dominance of the Soviet Union at a cost of tens
of millions of lives. The Soviet economy and society stagnated in
the following decades until General Secretary Mikhail GORBACHEV
(1985-91) introduced glasnost (openness) and perestroika
(restructuring) in an attempt to modernize Communism, but his
initiatives inadvertently released forces that by December 1991
splintered the USSR into 15 independent republics. Since then,
Russia has struggled in its efforts to build a democratic political
system and market economy to replace the strict social, political,
and economic controls of the Communist period. A determined
guerrilla conflict still plagues Russia in Chechnya.
Rwanda
In 1959, three years before independence from Belgium, the
majority ethnic group, the Hutus, overthrew the ruling Tutsi king.
Over the next several years, thousands of Tutsis were killed, and
some 150,000 driven into exile in neighboring countries. The
children of these exiles later formed a rebel group, the Rwandan
Patriotic Front, and began a civil war in 1990. The war, along with
several political and economic upheavals, exacerbated ethnic
tensions, culminating in April 1994 in the genocide of roughly
800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus. The Tutsi rebels defeated the
Hutu regime and ended the killing in July 1994, but approximately 2
million Hutu refugees - many fearing Tutsi retribution - fled to
neighboring Burundi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zaire. Since then, most
of the refugees have returned to Rwanda. Despite substantial
international assistance and political reforms - including Rwanda's
first local elections in March 1999 - the country continues to
struggle to boost investment and agricultural output and to foster
reconciliation. A series of massive population displacements, a
nagging Hutu extremist insurgency, and Rwandan involvement in two
wars over the past four years in the neighboring DROC continue to
hinder Rwanda's efforts.
Saint Helena
Uninhabited when first discovered by the Portuguese in
1502, Saint Helena was garrisoned by the British during the 17th
century. It acquired fame as the place of Napoleon BONAPARTE's
exile, from 1815 until his death in 1821, but its importance as a
port of call declined after the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869.
Ascension Island is the site of a US Air Force auxiliary airfield;
Gough Island has a meteorological station.
Saint Kitts and Nevis
First settled by the British in 1623, the
islands became an associated state with full internal autonomy in
1967. The island of Anguilla rebelled and was allowed to secede in
1971. Saint Kitts and Nevis achieved independence in 1983. In 1998,
a vote in Nevis on a referendum to separate from Saint Kitts fell
short of the two-thirds majority needed.
Saint Lucia
The island, with its fine natural harbor at Castries,
was contested between England and France throughout the 17th and
early 18th centuries (changing possession 14 times); it was finally
ceded to the UK in 1814. Self-government was granted in 1967 and
independence in 1979.
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
First settled by the French in the early
17th century, the islands represent the sole remaining vestige of
France's once vast North American possessions.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Disputed between France and the
United Kingdom in the 18th century, Saint Vincent was ceded to the
latter in 1783. Autonomy was granted in 1969 and independence in
1979.
Samoa
New Zealand occupied the German protectorate of Western Samoa
at the outbreak of World War I in 1914. It continued to administer
the islands as a mandate and then as a trust territory until 1962,
when the islands became the first Polynesian nation to reestablish
independence in the 20th century. The country dropped the "Western"
from its name in 1997.
San Marino
The third smallest state in Europe (after the Holy See
and Monaco) also claims to be the world's oldest republic. According
to tradition, it was founded by a Christian stonemason named Marinus
in 301 A.D. San Marino's foreign policy is aligned with that of
Italy. Social and political trends in the republic also track
closely with those of its larger neighbor.
Sao Tome and Principe
Discovered and claimed by Portugal in the late
15th century, the islands' sugar-based economy gave way to coffee
and cocoa in the 19th century - all grown with plantation slave
labor, a form of which lingered into the 20th century. Although
independence was achieved in 1975, democratic reforms were not
instituted until the late 1980s. Though the first free elections
were held in 1991, the political environment has been one of
continued instability with frequent changes in leadership and coup
attempts in 1995 and 2003. The recent discovery of oil in the Gulf
of Guinea is likely to have a significant impact on the country's
economy.
Saudi Arabia
In 1902, ABD AL-AZIZ bin Abd al-Rahman Al Saud captured
Riyadh and set out on a 30-year campaign to unify the Arabian
Peninsula. In the 1930s, the discovery of oil transformed the
country. Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia
accepted the Kuwaiti royal family and 400,000 refugees while
allowing Western and Arab troops to deploy on its soil for the
liberation of Kuwait the following year. A burgeoning population,
aquifer depletion, and an economy largely dependent on petroleum
output and prices are all major governmental concerns.
Senegal
Independent from France in 1960, Senegal joined with The
Gambia to form the nominal confederation of Senegambia in 1982.
However, the envisaged integration of the two countries was never
carried out, and the union was dissolved in 1989. Despite peace
talks, a southern separatist group sporadically has clashed with
government forces since 1982. Senegal has a long history of
participating in international peacekeeping.
Serbia and Montenegro
The Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes was
formed in 1918; its name was changed to Yugoslavia in 1929.
Occupation by Nazi Germany in 1941 was resisted by various
paramilitary bands that fought themselves as well as the invaders.
The group headed by Marshal TITO took full control upon German
expulsion in 1945. Although Communist, his new government
successfully steered its own path between the Warsaw Pact nations
and the West for the next four and a half decades. In the early
1990s, post-TITO Yugoslavia began to unravel along ethnic lines:
Slovenia, Croatia, and The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia all
declared their independence in 1991; Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992.
The remaining republics of Serbia and Montenegro declared a new
"Federal Republic of Yugoslavia" (FRY) in 1992 and, under President
Slobodan MILOSEVIC, Serbia led various military intervention efforts
to unite Serbs in neighboring republics into a "Greater Serbia." All
of these efforts were ultimately unsuccessful. In 1999, massive
expulsions by FRY forces and Serb paramilitaries of ethnic Albanians
living in Kosovo provoked an international response, including the
NATO bombing of Serbia and the stationing of NATO, Russian, and
other peacekeepers in Kosovo. Federal elections in the fall of 2000,
brought about the ouster of MILOSEVIC and installed Vojislav
KOSTUNICA as president. The arrest of MILOSEVIC in 2001 allowed for
his subsequent transfer to the International Criminal Tribunal for
the Former Yugoslavia in The Hague to be tried for crimes against
humanity. In 2001, the country's suspension was lifted, and it was
once more accepted into UN organizations under the name of
Yugoslavia. Kosovo has been governed by the UN Interim
Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) since June 1999, under the
authority of UN Security Council Resolution 1244. In 2002, the
Serbian and Montenegrin components of Yugoslavia began negotiations
to forge a looser relationship. These talks became a reality in
February 2003 when lawmakers restructured the country into a loose
federation of two republics called Serbia and Montenegro. An
agreement was also reached to hold a referendum in each republic in
three years on full independence.
Seychelles
A lengthy struggle between France and Great Britain for
the islands ended in 1814, when they were ceded to the latter.
Independence came in 1976. Socialist rule was brought to a close
with a new constitution and free elections in 1993. The most recent
presidential elections were held 31 August-2 September 2001.
President RENE, who has served since 1977, was re-elected.
Sierra Leone
Since 1991, civil war between the government and the
Revolutionary United Front (RUF) has resulted in tens of thousands
of deaths and the displacement of more than 2 million people (well
over one-third of the population), many of whom are now refugees in
neighboring countries. After several setbacks, the end to the
11-year conflict in Sierra Leone may finally be near at hand. With
the support of the UN peacekeeping force and contributions from the
World Bank and international community, demobilization and
disarmament of the RUF and Civil Defense Forces (CDF) combatants has
been completed. National elections were held in May 2002 and the
government continues to slowly reestablish its authority.
Singapore
Singapore was founded as a British trading colony in 1819.
It joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but separated two years
later and became independent. It subsequently became one of the
world's most prosperous countries with strong international trading
links (its port is one of the world's busiest) and with per capita
GDP equal to that of the leading nations of Western Europe.
Slovakia
In 1918 the Slovaks joined the closely related Czechs to
form Czechoslovakia. Following the chaos of World War II,
Czechoslovakia became a Communist nation within Soviet-ruled Eastern
Europe. Soviet influence collapsed in 1989 and Czechoslovakia once
more became free. The Slovaks and the Czechs agreed to separate
peacefully on 1 January 1993. Slovakia was invited to join NATO and
the EU in 2002.
Slovenia
The Slovene lands were part of the Holy Roman Empire and
Austria until 1918 when the Slovenes joined the Serbs and Croats in
forming a new nation, renamed Yugoslavia in 1929. After World War
II, Slovenia became a republic of the renewed Yugoslavia, which
though Communist, distanced itself from Moscow's rule. Dissatisfied
with the exercise of power of the majority Serbs, the Slovenes
succeeded in establishing their independence in 1991 after a short
10-day war. Historical ties to Western Europe, a strong economy, and
a stable democracy have assisted in Slovenia's transformation to a
modern state. In December 2002, Slovenia received an invitation to
join NATO, and it is scheduled to accede to the EU along with nine
other states on 1 May 2004. In a March 2003 referendum on NATO and
EU membership, Slovenes voted 90% in favor of joining the EU and 66%
in favor of joining NATO.
Solomon Islands
The UK established a protectorate over the Solomon
Islands in the 1890s. Some of the bitterest fighting of World War II
occurred on these islands. Self-government was achieved in 1976 and
independence two years later. Ethnic violence, government
malfeasance, and endemic crime have undermined stability and civil
society.
Somalia
The SIAD BARRE regime was ousted in January 1991; turmoil,
factional fighting, and anarchy have followed for twelve years. In
May of 1991, northern clans declared an independent Republic of
Somaliland that now includes the administrative regions of Awdal,
Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sanaag, and Sool. Although not recognized
by any government, this entity has maintained a stable existence,
aided by the overwhelming dominance of a ruling clan and economic
infrastructure left behind by British, Russian, and American
military assistance programs. The regions of Bari and Nugaal and
northern Mudug comprise a neighboring self-declared autonomous state
of Puntland, which has been self-governing since 1998, but does not
aim at independence; it has also made strides towards reconstructing
a legitimate, representative government, but has suffered civil
strife in 2002. Puntland disputes its border with Somaliland as it
also claims portions of eastern Sool and Sanaag. Beginning in 1993,
a two-year UN humanitarian effort (primarily in the south) was able
to alleviate famine conditions, but when the UN withdrew in 1995,
having suffered significant casualties, order still had not been
restored. The mandate of the Transitional National Government (TNG),
created in August 2000 in Arta, Djibouti, expires in August 2003 and
a new interim government was being created at peace talks held in
Kenya. Numerous warlords and factions are still fighting for control
of Mogadishu and the other southern regions. Suspicion of Somali
links with global terrorism further complicates the picture.
South Africa
After the British seized the Cape of Good Hope area in
1806, many of the Dutch settlers (the Boers) trekked north to found
their own republics. The discovery of diamonds (1867) and gold
(1886) spurred wealth and immigration and intensified the
subjugation of the native inhabitants. The Boers resisted British
encroachments, but were defeated in the Boer War (1899-1902). The
resulting Union of South Africa operated under a policy of apartheid
- the separate development of the races. The 1990s brought an end to
apartheid politically and ushered in black majority rule.
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
The islands lie
approximately 1,000 km east of the Falkland Islands and have been
under British administration since 1908, except for a brief period
in 1982 when Argentina occupied them. Grytviken, on South Georgia,
was a 19th and early 20th century whaling station. Famed explorer
Ernest SHACKLETON stopped there in 1914 en route to his ill-fated
attempt to cross Antarctica on foot. He returned some 20 months
later with a few companions in a small boat and arranged a
successful rescue for the rest of his crew, stranded off the
Antarctic Peninsula. He died in 1922 on a subsequent expedition and
is buried in Grytviken. Today, the station houses scientists from
the British Antarctic Survey. The islands have large bird and seal
populations, and, recognizing the importance of preserving the
marine stocks in adjacent waters, the UK, in 1993, extended the
exclusive fishing zone from 12 NM to 200 NM around each island.
Southern Ocean
A decision by the International Hydrographic
Organization in the spring of 2000 delimited a fifth world ocean -
the Southern Ocean - from the southern portions of the Atlantic
Ocean, Indian Ocean, and Pacific Ocean. The Southern Ocean extends
from the coast of Antarctica north to 60 degrees south latitude,
which coincides with the Antarctic Treaty Limit. The Southern Ocean
is now the fourth largest of the world's five oceans (after the
Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, and Indian Ocean, but larger than the
Arctic Ocean).
Spain
Spain's powerful world empire of the 16th and 17th centuries
ultimately yielded command of the seas to England. Subsequent
failure to embrace the mercantile and industrial revolutions caused
the country to fall behind Britain, France, and Germany in economic
and political power. Spain remained neutral in World Wars I and II,
but suffered through a devastating civil war (1936-39). In the
second half of the 20th century, Spain has played a catch-up role in
the western international community; it joined the EU in 1986.
Continuing concerns are Basque Fatherland and Liberty (ETA)
terrorism and further reductions in unemployment.
Spratly Islands
The Spratly Islands consist of more than 100 small
islands or reefs. They are surrounded by rich fishing grounds and
potentially by gas and oil deposits. They are claimed in their
entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed
by Malaysia and the Philippines. About 50 islands are occupied by
China (about 450 soldiers), Malaysia (70-90), the Philippines (about
100), and Vietnam (about 1,500). Brunei is a claimant but has no
outposts. (2002)
Sri Lanka
The Sinhalese arrived in Sri Lanka late in the 6th century
B.C., probably from northern India. Buddhism was introduced
beginning in about the mid-third century B.C., and a great
civilization developed at the cities of Anuradhapura (kingdom from
circa 200 B.C. to circa 1000 A.D.) and Polonnaruwa (from about 1070
to 1200). In the 14th century, a south Indian dynasty seized power
in the north and established a Tamil kingdom. Occupied by the
Portuguese in the 16th century and by the Dutch in the 17th century,
the island was ceded to the British in 1796, became a crown colony
in 1802, and was united under British rule by 1815. As Ceylon, it
became independent in 1948; its name was changed to Sri Lanka in
1972. Tensions between the Sinhalese majority and Tamil separatists
erupted in violence in the mid-1980s. Tens of thousands have died in
an ethnic war that continues to fester. After two decades of
fighting, the government and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam began
a ceasefire in December 2001, with Norway brokering peace
negotiations.
Sudan
Military regimes favoring Islamic-oriented governments have
dominated national politics since independence from the UK in 1956.
Sudan has been embroiled in a civil war for all but 10 years of this
period (1972-82). The wars are rooted in northern economic,
political, and social domination of non-Muslim, non-Arab southern
Sudanese. Since 1983, the war and war- and famine-related effects
have led to more than 2 million deaths and over 4 million people
displaced. The ruling regime is a mixture of military elite and an
Islamist party that came to power in a 1989 coup. Some northern
opposition parties have made common cause with the southern rebels
and entered the war as a part of an anti-government alliance. Peace
talks gained momentum in 2002-03 with the signing of several
accords, including a cease-fire agreement.
Suriname
Independence from the Netherlands was granted in 1975. Five
years later the civilian government was replaced by a military
regime that soon declared a socialist republic. It continued to rule
through a succession of nominally civilian administrations until
1987, when international pressure finally forced a democratic
election. In 1989, the military overthrew the civilian government,
but a democratically-elected government returned to power in 1991.
Svalbard
First discovered by the Norwegians in the 12th century, the
islands served as an international whaling base during the 17th and
18th centuries. Norway's sovereignty was recognized in 1920; five
years later it officially took over the territory.
Swaziland
Autonomy for the Swazis of southern Africa was guaranteed
by the British in the late 19th century; independence was granted
1968. Student and labor unrest during the 1990s have pressured the
monarchy (one of the oldest on the continent) to grudgingly allow
political reform and greater democracy.
Sweden
A military power during the 17th century, Sweden has not
participated in any war in almost two centuries. An armed neutrality
was preserved in both World Wars. Sweden's long-successful economic
formula of a capitalist system interlarded with substantial welfare
elements was challenged in the 1990s by high unemployment, rising
maintenance costs, and a declining position in world markets.
Indecision over the country's role in the political and economic
integration of Europe delayed Sweden's entry into the EU until 1995,
and waived the introduction of the euro in 1999.
Switzerland
Switzerland's independence and neutrality have long been
honored by the major European powers, and Switzerland was not
involved in either of the two World Wars. The political and economic
integration of Europe over the past half century, as well as
Switzerland's role in many UN and international organizations, has
strengthened Switzerland's ties with its neighbors. However, the
country did not officially become a UN member until 2002.
Switzerland remains active in many UN and international
organizations, but retains a strong commitment to neutrality.
Syria
Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World War
I, Syria was administered by the French until independence in 1946.
In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to
Israel. Since 1976, Syrian troops have been stationed in Lebanon,
ostensibly in a peacekeeping capacity. In recent years, Syria and
Israel have held occasional peace talks over the return of the Golan
Heights.
Taiwan
In 1895, military defeat forced China to cede Taiwan to
Japan. It reverted to Chinese control after World War II. Following
the Communist victory on the mainland in 1949, 2 million
Nationalists fled to Taiwan and established a government using the
1947 constitution drawn up for all of China. Over the next five
decades, the ruling authorities gradually democratized and
incorporated the native population within the governing structure.
In 2000, Taiwan underwent its first peaceful transfer of power from
the Nationalist to the Democratic Progressive Party. Throughout this
period, the island prospered and became one of East Asia's economic
"Tigers." The dominant political issues continue to be the
relationship between Taiwan and China - specifically the question of
eventual unification - as well as domestic political and economic
reform.
Tajikistan
Tajikistan has experienced three changes in government
and a five-year civil war since it gained independence in 1991 from
the USSR. A peace agreement among rival factions was signed in 1997,
and implemented in 2000. The central government's less than total
control over some areas of the country has forced it to compromise
and forge alliances among factions. Attention by the international
community in the wake of the war in Afghanistan has brought
increased economic development assistance, which could create jobs
and increase stability in the long term. Tajikistan is in the early
stages of seeking World Trade Organization membership and has joined
NATO's Partnership for Peace.
Tanzania
Shortly after independence, Tanganyika and Zanzibar merged
to form the nation of Tanzania in 1964. One-party rule came to an
end in 1995 with the first democratic elections held in the country
since the 1970s. Zanzibar's semi-autonomous status and popular
opposition have led to two contentious elections since 1995, which
the ruling party won despite international observers' claims of
voting irregularities.
Thailand
A unified Thai kingdom was established in the mid-14th
century. Known as Siam until 1939, Thailand is the only Southeast
Asian country never to have been taken over by a European power. A
bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional monarchy. In
alliance with Japan during World War II, Thailand became a US ally
following the conflict.
Togo
French Togoland became Togo in 1960. Gen. Gnassingbe EYADEMA,
installed as military ruler in 1967, is Africa's longest-serving
head of state. Despite the facade of multiparty elections instituted
in the early 1990s, the government continues to be dominated by
President EYADEMA, whose Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) party
has maintained power almost continually since 1967. In addition,
Togo has come under fire from international organizations for human
rights abuses and is plagued by political unrest. Most bilateral and
multilateral aid to Togo remains frozen.
Tokelau
Originally settled by Polynesian emigrants from surrounding
island groups, the Tokelau Islands were made a British protectorate
in 1889. They were transferred to New Zealand administration in 1925.
Tonga
The archipelago of "The Friendly Islands" was united into a
Polynesian kingdom in 1845. It became a constitutional monarchy in
1875 and a British protectorate in 1900. Tonga acquired its
independence in 1970 and became a member of the Commonwealth of
Nations. It remains the only monarchy in the Pacific.
Trinidad and Tobago
The islands came under British control in the
19th century; independence was granted in 1962. The country is one
of the most prosperous in the Caribbean, thanks largely to petroleum
and natural gas production and processing. Tourism, mostly in
Tobago, is targeted for expansion and is growing.
Tromelin Island
First explored by the French in 1776, the island
came under the jurisdiction of Reunion in 1814. At present, it
serves as a sea turtle sanctuary and is the site of an important
meteorological station.
Tunisia
Following independence from France in 1956, President Habib
BOURGUIBA established a strict one-party state. He dominated the
country for 31 years, repressing Islamic fundamentalism and
establishing rights for women unmatched by any other Arab nation. In
recent years, Tunisia has taken a moderate, non-aligned stance in
its foreign relations. Domestically, it has sought to defuse rising
pressure for a more open political society.
Turkey
Present-day Turkey was created in 1923 from the Turkish
remnants of the Ottoman Empire. Soon thereafter, the country
instituted secular laws to replace traditional religious fiats. In
1945 Turkey joined the UN, and in 1952 it became a member of NATO.
Turkey intervened militarily on Cyprus in 1974 to protect Turkish
Cypriots and prevent a Greek takeover of the island; the northern 37
percent of the island remains under Turkish Cypriot control.
Relations between the two countries remain strained, but have begun
to improve over the past few years. In 1984, the Kurdistan Workers'
Party (PKK), a Marxist-Leninist, separatist group, initiated an
insurgency in southeast Turkey, often using terrorist tactics to try
to attain its goal of an independent Kurdistan. The group - whose
leader, Abdullah OCALAN, was captured in Kenya in February 1999 -
has observed a unilateral cease-fire since September 1999, although
there have been occasional clashes between Turkish military units
and some of the 4,000-5,000 armed PKK militants, most of whom
currently are encamped in northern Iraq. The PKK changed its name to
the Kurdistan Freedom and Democracy Congress (KADEK) in April 2002.
Turkmenistan
Annexed by Russia between 1865 and 1885, Turkmenistan
became a Soviet republic in 1925. It achieved its independence upon
the dissolution of the USSR in 1991. President NIYAZOV retains
absolute control over the country and opposition is not tolerated.
Extensive hydrocarbon/natural gas reserves could prove a boon to
this underdeveloped country if extraction and delivery projects can
be worked out.
Turks and Caicos Islands
The islands were part of the UK's Jamaican
colony until 1962, when they assumed the status of a separate crown
colony upon Jamaica's independence. The governor of The Bahamas
oversaw affairs from 1965 to 1973. With Bahamian independence, the
islands received a separate governor in 1973. Although independence
was agreed upon for 1982, the policy was reversed and the islands
are presently a British overseas territory.
Tuvalu
In 1974, ethnic differences within the British colony of the
Gilbert and Ellice Islands caused the Polynesians of the Ellice
Islands to vote for separation from the Micronesians of the Gilbert
Islands. The following year, the Ellice Islands became the separate
British colony of Tuvalu. Independence was granted in 1978. In 2000,
Tuvalu negotiated a contract leasing its Internet domain name ".tv"
for $50 million in royalties over the next dozen years.
Uganda
Uganda achieved independence from the UK in 1962. The
dictatorial regime of Idi AMIN (1971-79) was responsible for the
deaths of some 300,000 opponents; guerrilla war and human rights
abuses under Milton OBOTE (1980-85) claimed at least another 100,000
lives. During the 1990s, the government promulgated non-party
presidential and legislative elections.
Ukraine
Ukraine was the center of the first Slavic state, Kievan
Rus, which during the 10th and 11th centuries was the largest and
most powerful state in Europe. Weakened by internecine quarrels and
Mongol invasions, Kievan Rus was incorporated into the Grand Duchy
of Lithuania and eventually into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
The cultural and religious legacy of Kievan Rus laid the foundation
for Ukrainian nationalism through subsequent centuries. A new
Ukrainian state, the Cossack Hetmanate, was established during the
mid-17th century after an uprising against the Poles. Despite
continuous Muscovite pressure, the Hetmanate managed to remain
autonomous for well over 100 years. During the latter part of the
18th century, most Ukrainian ethnographic territory was absorbed by
the Russian Empire. Following the collapse of czarist Russia in
1917, Ukraine was able to bring about a short-lived period of
independence (1917-1920), but was reconquered and forced to endure a
brutal Soviet rule that engineered two artificial famines (1921-22
and 1932-33) in which over 8 million died. In World War II, German
and Soviet armies were responsible for some 7 to 8 million more
deaths. Although independence was achieved in 1991 with the
dissolution of the USSR, true freedom remains elusive, as many of
the former Soviet elite remain entrenched, stalling efforts at
economic reform, privatization, and civil liberties.
United Arab Emirates
The Trucial States of the Persian Gulf coast
granted the UK control of their defense and foreign affairs in 19th
century treaties. In 1971, six of these states - Abu Zaby, 'Ajman,
Al Fujayrah, Ash Shariqah, Dubayy, and Umm al Qaywayn - merged to
form the United Arab Emirates (UAE). They were joined in 1972 by
Ra's al Khaymah. The UAE's per capita GDP is not far below those of
leading West European nations. Its generosity with oil revenues and
its moderate foreign policy stance have allowed the UAE to play a
vital role in the affairs of the region.
United Kingdom
Great Britain, the dominant industrial and maritime
power of the 19th century, played a leading role in developing
parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. At
its zenith, the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the
earth's surface. The first half of the 20th century saw the UK's
strength seriously depleted in two World Wars. The second half
witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself
into a modern and prosperous European nation. As one of five
permanent members of the UN Security Council, a founding member of
NATO, and of the Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global approach to
foreign policy; it currently is weighing the degree of its
integration with continental Europe. A member of the EU, it chose to
remain outside the European Monetary Union for the time being.
Constitutional reform is also a significant issue in the UK. The
Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, and the
Northern Ireland Assembly were established in 1999.
United States
Britain's American colonies broke with the mother
country in 1776 and were recognized as the new nation of the United
States of America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the
19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13
as the nation expanded across the North American continent and
acquired a number of overseas possessions. The two most traumatic
experiences in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65) and
the Great Depression of the 1930s. Buoyed by victories in World Wars
I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the
world's most powerful nation-state. The economy is marked by steady
growth, low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in
technology.
Uruguay
A violent Marxist urban guerrilla movement, the Tupamaros,
launched in the late 1960s, led Uruguay's president to agree to
military control of his administration in 1973. By yearend, the
rebels had been crushed, but the military continued to expand its
hold throughout the government. Civilian rule was not restored until
1985. Uruguay's political and labor conditions are among the freest
on the continent.
Uzbekistan
Russia conquered Uzbekistan in the late 19th century.
Stiff resistance to the Red Army after World War I was eventually
suppressed and a socialist republic set up in 1924. During the
Soviet era, intensive production of "white gold" (cotton) and grain
led to overuse of agrochemicals and the depletion of water supplies,
which have left the land poisoned and the Aral Sea and certain
rivers half dry. Independent since 1991, the country seeks to
gradually lessen its dependence on agriculture while developing its
mineral and petroleum reserves. Current concerns include terrorism
by Islamic militants, a nonconvertible currency, and the curtailment
of human rights and democratization.
Vanuatu
The British and French, who settled the New Hebrides in the
19th century, agreed in 1906 to an Anglo-French Condominium, which
administered the islands until independence in 1980.
Venezuela
Venezuela was one of three countries that emerged from the
collapse of Gran Colombia in 1830 (the others being Colombia and
Ecuador). For most of the first half of the 20th century, Venezuela
was ruled by generally benevolent military strongmen, who promoted
the oil industry and allowed for some social reforms. Democratically
elected governments have held sway since 1959. Current concerns
include: an embattled president who is losing his once solid support
among Venezuelans, a divided military, drug-related conflicts along
the Colombian border, increasing internal drug consumption,
overdependence on the petroleum industry with its price
fluctuations, and irresponsible mining operations that are
endangering the rain forest and indigenous peoples.
Vietnam
France occupied all of Vietnam by 1884. Independence was
declared after World War II, but the French continued to rule until
1954 when they were defeated by Communist forces under Ho Chi MINH,
who took control of the North. US economic and military aid to South
Vietnam grew through the 1960s in an attempt to bolster the
government, but US armed forces were withdrawn following a
cease-fire agreement in 1973. Two years later, North Vietnamese
forces overran the South. Economic reconstruction of the reunited
country has proven difficult as aging Communist Party leaders have
only grudgingly initiated reforms necessary for a free market.
Virgin Islands During the 17th century, the archipelago was divided into two territorial units, one English and the other Danish. Sugarcane, produced by slave labor, drove the islands' economy during the 18th and early 19th centuries. In 1917, the US purchased the Danish portion, which had been in economic decline since the abolition of slavery in 1848.
Wake Island
The US annexed Wake Island in 1899 for a cable station.
An important air and naval base was constructed in 1940-41. In
December 1941, the island was captured by the Japanese and held
until the end of World War II. In subsequent years, Wake was
developed as a stopover and refueling site for military and
commercial aircraft transiting the Pacific. Since 1974, the island's
airstrip has been used by the US military and some commercial cargo
planes, as well as for emergency landings. There are over 700
landings a year on the island.
Wallis and Futuna
Although discovered by the Dutch and the British
in the 17th and 18th centuries, it was the French who declared a
protectorate over the islands in 1842. In 1959, the inhabitants of
the islands voted to become a French overseas territory.
West Bank
The Israel-PLO Declaration of Principles on Interim
Self-Government Arrangements (the DOP), signed in Washington on 13
September 1993, provided for a transitional period not exceeding
five years of Palestinian interim self-government in the Gaza Strip
and the West Bank. Under the DOP, Israel agreed to transfer certain
powers and responsibilities to the Palestinian Authority, which
includes the Palestinian Legislative Council elected in January
1996, as part of the interim self-governing arrangements in the West
Bank and Gaza Strip. A transfer of powers and responsibilities for
the Gaza Strip and Jericho took place pursuant to the Israel-PLO 4
May 1994 Cairo Agreement on the Gaza Strip and the Jericho Area and
in additional areas of the West Bank pursuant to the Israel-PLO 28
September 1995 Interim Agreement, the Israel-PLO 15 January 1997
Protocol Concerning Redeployment in Hebron, the Israel-PLO 23
October 1998 Wye River Memorandum, and the 4 September 1999 Sharm
el-Sheikh Agreement. The DOP provides that Israel will retain
responsibility during the transitional period for external security
and for internal security and public order of settlements and
Israeli citizens. Direct negotiations to determine the permanent
status of Gaza and West Bank had begun in September 1999 after a
three-year hiatus, but have been derailed by a second intifadah that
broke out in September 2000. The resulting widespread violence in
the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Israel's military response, and
instability within the Palestinian Authority continue to undermine
progress toward a permanent agreement.
Western Sahara
Morocco virtually annexed the northern two-thirds of
Western Sahara (formerly Spanish Sahara) in 1976, and the rest of
the territory in 1979, following Mauritania's withdrawal. A
guerrilla war with the Polisario Front contesting Rabat's
sovereignty ended in a 1991 UN-brokered cease-fire; a UN-organized
referendum on final status has been repeatedly postponed.
World
Globally, the 20th century was marked by: (a) two devastating
world wars; (b) the Great Depression of the 1930s; (c) the end of
vast colonial empires; (d) rapid advances in science and technology,
from the first airplane flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina (US) to
the landing on the moon; (e) the Cold War between the Western
alliance and the Warsaw Pact nations; (f) a sharp rise in living
standards in North America, Europe, and Japan; (g) increased
concerns about the environment, including loss of forests, shortages
of energy and water, the decline in biological diversity, and air
pollution; (h) the onset of the AIDS epidemic; and (i) the ultimate
emergence of the US as the only world superpower. The planet's
population continues to explode: from 1 billion in 1820, to 2
billion in 1930, 3 billion in 1960, 4 billion in 1974, 5 billion in
1988, and 6 billion in 2000. For the 21st century, the continued
exponential growth in science and technology raises both hopes
(e.g., advances in medicine) and fears (e.g., development of even
more lethal weapons of war).
Yemen
North Yemen became independent of the Ottoman Empire in 1918.
The British, who had set up a protectorate area around the southern
port of Aden in the 19th century, withdrew in 1967 from what became
South Yemen. Three years later, the southern government adopted a
Marxist orientation. The massive exodus of hundreds of thousands of
Yemenis from the south to the north contributed to two decades of
hostility between the states. The two countries were formally
unified as the Republic of Yemen in 1990. A southern secessionist
movement in 1994 was quickly subdued. In 2000, Saudi Arabia and
Yemen agreed to a delimitation of their border.
Zambia
The territory of Northern Rhodesia was administered by the
South Africa Company from 1891 until it was taken over by the UK in
1923. During the 1920s and 1930s, advances in mining spurred
development and immigration. The name was changed to Zambia upon
independence in 1964. In the 1980s and 1990s, declining copper
prices and a prolonged drought hurt the economy. Elections in 1991
brought an end to one-party rule, but the subsequent vote in 1996
saw blatant harassment of opposition parties. The election in 2001
was marked by administrative problems with three parties filing a
legal petition challenging the election of ruling party candidate
Levy MWANAWASA. The new president launched a far-reaching
anti-corruption campaign in 2002, which resulted in the 2003 arrest
of the previous president Frederick CHILUBA and many of his
supporters. Opposition parties currently hold a majority of seats in
the National Assembly.
Zimbabwe
The UK annexed Southern Rhodesia from the South Africa
Company in 1923. A 1961 constitution was formulated that favored
whites in power. In 1965 the government unilaterally declared its
independence, but the UK did not recognize the act and demanded more
complete voting rights for the black African majority in the country
(then called Rhodesia). UN sanctions and a guerrilla uprising
finally led to free elections in 1979 and independence (as Zimbabwe)
in 1980. Robert MUGABE, the nation's first prime minister, has been
the country's only ruler (as president since 1987) and has dominated
the country's political system since independence. His chaotic land
redistribution campaign begun in 2000 caused an exodus of white
farmers, crippled the economy, and ushered in widespread shortages
of basic commodities. Ignoring international condemnation, MUGABE
rigged the 2002 presidential election to ensure his reelection.
Opposition and labor groups launched general strikes in 2003 to
pressure MUGABE to retire early; security forces continued their
brutal repression of regime opponents.
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
@2030 Airports - with paved runways
Afghanistan total: 10 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Albania total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Algeria
total: 54
over 3,047 m: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 27
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
American Samoa
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Angola
total: 32
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Anguilla total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Antigua and Barbuda total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Argentina total: 145 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 26 1,524 to 2,437 m: 62 914 to 1,523 m: 44 under 914 m: 9 (2002)
Armenia
total: 8
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Aruba total: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Australia
total: 294
over 3,047 m: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 11
1,524 to 2,437 m: 126
914 to 1,523 m: 134
under 914 m: 13 (2002)
Austria
total: 24
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 14 (2002)
Azerbaijan
total: 27
over 3.047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Bahamas, The
total: 30
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Bahrain total: 3 over 3,047 m: 2 1524 to 2437 m: 1 (2002)
Bangladesh total: 15 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 6 (2002)
Barbados total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Belarus
total: 28
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 21
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Belgium
total: 25
over 3,047 m: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 7 (2002)
Belize
total: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Benin
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Bermuda
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Bhutan
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Bolivia
total: 12
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
total: 14
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1523 m: 1
under 914 m: 3 (2002)
Botswana total: 10 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Brazil
total: 665
over 3,047 m: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 23
1,524 to 2,437 m: 155
914 to 1,523 m: 435
under 914 m: 45 (2002)
British Indian Ocean Territory total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
British Virgin Islands total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Brunei total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Bulgaria
total: 128
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 20
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 92 (2002)
Burkina Faso
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Burma
total: 8
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2002)
Burundi total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Cambodia total: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Cameroon
total: 11
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Canada
total: 507
over 3,047 m: 18
2,438 to 3,047 m: 15
1,524 to 2,437 m: 149
914 to 1,523 m: 245
under 914 m: 80 (2002)
Cape Verde total: 6 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 5 (2002)
Cayman Islands total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)
Central African Republic total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)
Chad
total: 7
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Chile
total: 71
over 3,047 m: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 21
914 to 1,523 m: 23
under 914 m: 15 (2002)
China
total: 351
over 3,047 m: 32
2,438 to 3,047 m: 108
1,524 to 2,437 m: 143
914 to 1,523 m: 29
under 914 m: 39 (2002)
Christmas Island
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Cocos (Keeling) Islands
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Colombia
total: 96
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 38
914 to 1,523 m: 36
under 914 m: 11 (2002)
Comoros total: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002)
Congo, Democratic Republic of the total: 24 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)
Congo, Republic of the total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2002)
Cook Islands total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Costa Rica total: 30 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 19 under 914 m: 8 (2002)
Cote d'Ivoire total: 7 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2002)
Croatia
total: 16
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 9 (2002)
Cuba
total: 70
over 3,047 m: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 22
under 914 m: 31 (2002)
Cyprus
total: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Czech Republic
total: 44
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 19 (2002)
Denmark
total: 28
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 3 (2002)
Djibouti total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1524 to 2437 m: 1 (2002)
Dominica total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)
Dominican Republic total: 13 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
East Timor total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,427 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Ecuador
total: 61
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 18
914 to 1,523 m: 18
under 914 m: 18 (2002)
Egypt
total: 71
over 3,047 m: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 38
1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
under 914 m: 3 (2002)
El Salvador total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)
Equatorial Guinea
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Eritrea
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2002)
Estonia
total: 14
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 4 (2002)
Ethiopia total: 14 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Faroe Islands
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Fiji
total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Finland
total: 74
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 27
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 23
under 914 m: 12 (2002)
France
total: 273
over 3,047 m: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 28
1,524 to 2,437 m: 95
914 to 1,523 m: 80
under 914 m: 57 (2002)
French Guiana total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
French Polynesia
total: 37
over 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 22
under 914 m: 8 (2002)
Gabon
total: 10
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Gambia, The
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Gaza Strip
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Georgia
total: 22
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 4 (2002)
Germany
total: 328
over 3,047 m: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 54
1,524 to 2,437 m: 63
914 to 1,523 m: 69
under 914 m: 131 (2002)
Ghana
total: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)
Gibraltar
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Greece
total: 66
over 3,047 m: 6
2,438 to 3,047 m: 15
1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
914 to 1,523 m: 17
under 914 m: 9 (2002)
Greenland
total: 9
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 5 (2002)
Grenada
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Guadeloupe
total: 8
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 5 (2002)
Guam
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Guatemala total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Guernsey total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Guinea
total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2002)
Guinea-Bissau
total: 3
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Guyana
total: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
under 914 m: 5 (2002)
Haiti
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Honduras total: 12 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 4 (2002)
Hong Kong total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1523 m: 1 (2002)
Hungary
total: 17
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Iceland total: 13 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 8 (2002)
India
total: 232
over 3,047 m: 14
2,438 to 3,047 m: 47
1,524 to 2,437 m: 78
914 to 1,523 m: 73
under 914 m: 20 (2002)
Indonesia
total: 153
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 12
1,524 to 2,437 m: 46
914 to 1,523 m: 48
under 914 m: 43 (2002)
Iran
total: 122
over 3,047 m: 39
2,438 to 3,047 m: 25
1,524 to 2,437 m: 27
914 to 1,523 m: 27
under 914 m: 4 (2002)
Iraq
total: 77
over 3,047 m: 21
2,438 to 3,047 m: 36
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 9 (2002)
Ireland
total: 16
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 6 (2002)
Israel
total: 28
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 4 (2002)
Italy
total: 96
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 34
1,524 to 2,437 m: 15
914 to 1,523 m: 30
under 914 m: 12 (2002)
Jamaica
total: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 5 (2002)
Japan
total: 141
over 3,047 m: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 37
1,524 to 2,437 m: 38
914 to 1,523 m: 27
under 914 m: 32 (2002)
Jersey
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Johnston Atoll
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Jordan
total: 15
over 3,047 m: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Kazakhstan
total: 60
over 3,047 m: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 26
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 9 (2002)
Kenya
total: 19
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Kiribati total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2002)
Korea, North
total: 34
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 18
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 3 (2002)
Korea, South
total: 69
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 18
1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 21 (2002)
Kuwait total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2002)
Kyrgyzstan total: 18 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 3 (2002)
Laos
total: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002)
Latvia
total: 22
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 12 (2002)
Lebanon
total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Lesotho total: 4 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Liberia total: 2 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Libya
total: 58
over 3,047 m: 23
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 22
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Lithuania
total: 22
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 8 (2002)
Luxembourg
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Macau
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
total: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
under 914 m: 8 (2002)
Madagascar total: 29 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 20 under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Malawi
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2002)
Malaysia
total: 35
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 7 (2002)
Maldives
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Mali
total: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)
Malta
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Man, Isle of
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Marshall Islands total: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Martinique total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Mauritania
total: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 (2002)
Mauritius
total: 2
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Mayotte
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Mexico
total: 231
over 3,047 m: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 28
1,524 to 2,437 m: 83
914 to 1,523 m: 82
under 914 m: 27 (2002)
Micronesia, Federated States of
total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)
Midway Islands
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)
Moldova
total: 8
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Mongolia
total: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Morocco
total: 26
over 3,047 m: 11
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Mozambique
total: 22
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 5 (2002)
Namibia
total: 21
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2002)
Nauru
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Nepal
total: 9
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2002)
Netherlands
total: 21
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Netherlands Antilles
total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
2038 to 3047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
New Caledonia total: 9 over 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 2 (2002)
New Zealand total: 46 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 28 under 914 m: 5 (2002)
Nicaragua total: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2002)
Niger
total: 9
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Nigeria
total: 36
over 3,047 m: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 3 (2002)
Niue
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Norfolk Island
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Northern Mariana Islands
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)
Norway
total: 66
2,438 to 3,047 m: 13
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 26 (2002)
Oman
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Pakistan
total: 87
over 3,047 m: 14
2,438 to 3,047 m: 21
1,524 to 2,437 m: 32
914 to 1,523 m: 17
under 914 m: 3 (2002)
Palau
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Panama
total: 41
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 21 (2002)
Papua New Guinea total: 21 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Paracel Islands total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Paraguay total: 11 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 4 (2002)
Peru
total: 49
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 20
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Philippines
total: 82
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 26
914 to 1,523 m: 34
under 914 m: 13 (2002)
Poland
total: 88
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 30
1,524 to 2,437 m: 39
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 9 (2002)
Portugal
total: 40
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 7 (2002)
Puerto Rico total: 19 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 8 under 914 m: 5 (2002)
Qatar total: 2 over 3,047 m: 2 (2002)
Reunion total: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Romania total: 26 over 3,047 m: 5 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 12 (2002)
Russia
total: 471
over 3,047 m: 56
2,438 to 3,047 m: 178
1,524 to 2,437 m: 76
914 to 1,523 m: 69
under 914 m: 92 (2002)
Rwanda
total: 4
over 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Saint Helena total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Saint Kitts and Nevis
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Saint Lucia
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
total: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Samoa
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Sao Tome and Principe
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Saudi Arabia total: 71 over 3,047 m: 31 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Senegal total: 9 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)
Serbia and Montenegro total: 19 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 4 (2002)
Seychelles total: 7 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Sierra Leone total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Singapore
total: 9
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Slovakia
total: 20
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 9 (2002)
Slovenia
total: 6
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Solomon Islands total: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Somalia total: 6 over 3,047 m: 4 2438 to 3047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
South Africa
total: 143
over 3,047 m: 10
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 50
914 to 1,523 m: 67
under 914 m: 11 (2002)
Spain
total: 93
over 3,047 m: 15
2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 18
914 to 1,523 m: 23
under 914 m: 27 (2002)
Spratly Islands total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Sri Lanka
total: 14
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 6 (2002)
Sudan
total: 12
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 (2002)
Suriname
total: 5
over 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 4 (2002)
Svalbard
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1523 m: 1 (2002)
Swaziland
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Sweden
total: 145
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 11
1,524 to 2,437 m: 82
914 to 1,523 m: 24
under 914 m: 25 (2002)
Switzerland
total: 41
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 14 (2002)
Syria
total: 24
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Taiwan
total: 37
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 8
1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Tajikistan total: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Tanzania
total: 11
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Thailand
total: 62
over 3,047 m: 7
2,438 to 3,047 m: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 23
914 to 1,523 m: 17
under 914 m: 5 (2002)
Togo
total: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 (2002)
Tonga
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Trinidad and Tobago total: 3 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Tunisia
total: 14
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002)
Turkey
total: 86
over 3,047 m: 16
2,438 to 3,047 m: 30
1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
914 to 1,523 m: 16
under 914 m: 5 (2002)
Turkmenistan total: 13 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 (2002)
Turks and Caicos Islands total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Uganda total: 4 over 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Ukraine
total: 182
over 3,047 m: 13
2,438 to 3,047 m: 51
1,524 to 2,437 m: 31
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 81 (2002)
United Arab Emirates
total: 22
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 4 (2002)
United Kingdom
total: 334
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 33
1,524 to 2,437 m: 151
914 to 1,523 m: 83
under 914 m: 59 (2002)
United States
total: 5,131
over 3,047 m: 185
2,438 to 3,047 m: 222
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1,365
914 to 1,523 m: 2,390
under 914 m: 969 (2002)
Uruguay
total: 15
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Uzbekistan
total: 27
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 13
1,523 to 2,437 m: 5
under 914 m: 6 (2002)
Vanuatu
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1524 to 2437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Venezuela
total: 127
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 11
1,524 to 2,437 m: 32
914 to 1,523 m: 61
under 914 m: 18 (2002)
Vietnam
total: 24
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 6 (2002)
Virgin Islands
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)
Wake Island
total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2002)
Wallis and Futuna
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
West Bank total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Western Sahara total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 (2002)
Yemen
total: 16
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Zambia
total: 11
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Zimbabwe total: 17 over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 8 (2002)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
@2031 Airports - with unpaved runways
Afghanistan total: 37 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 14 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 11 (2002)
Albania
total: 8
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 4 (2002)
Algeria
total: 82
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 23
914 to 1,523 m: 38
under 914 m: 19 (2002)
American Samoa
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Angola
total: 211
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 30
914 to 1,523 m: 95
under 914 m: 80 (2002)
Anguilla total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Antarctica total: 19 over 3,047 m: 6 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 5 (2002)
Antigua and Barbuda total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Argentina total: 1,197 over 3,047 m: 2 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 50 914 to 1,523 m: 572 under 914 m: 571 (2002)
Armenia
total: 7
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Australia
total: 150
1,524 to 2,437 m: 20
914 to 1,523 m: 116
under 914 m: 14 (2002)
Austria
total: 31
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 27 (2002)
Azerbaijan total: 44 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 7 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 27 (2002)
Bahamas, The total: 34 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 22 (2002)
Bahrain total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Bangladesh total: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Belarus
total: 96
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 67 (2002)
Belgium
total: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 15 (2002)
Belize
total: 38
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 27 (2002)
Benin
total: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2 (2002)
Bhutan
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Bolivia
total: 1,069
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 64
914 to 1,523 m: 225
under 914 m: 776 (2002)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
total: 18
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 10 (2002)
Botswana
total: 76
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 55
under 914 m: 18 (2002)
Brazil
total: 2,925
1,524 to 2,437 m: 70
914 to 1,523 m: 1,384
under 914 m: 1,471 (2002)
British Virgin Islands
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Brunei
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Bulgaria
total: 88
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 74 (2002)
Burkina Faso
total: 31
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 17 (2002)
Burma
total: 72
over 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 20
under 914 m: 34 (2002)
Burundi total: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 3 (2002)
Cambodia
total: 16
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Cameroon
total: 38
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 20
under 914 m: 11 (2002)
Canada
total: 882
1,524 to 2,437 m: 73
914 to 1,523 m: 363
under 914 m: 446 (2002)
Cape Verde
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002)
Cayman Islands
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Central African Republic total: 47 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 13 (2002)
Chad
total: 43
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 20
under 914 m: 10 (2002)
Chile
total: 292
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 60
under 914 m: 216 (2002)
China
total: 149
over 3,047 m: 4
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 25
914 to 1,523 m: 48
under 914 m: 71 (2002)
Colombia
total: 954
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 51
914 to 1,523 m: 315
under 914 m: 587 (2002)
Congo, Democratic Republic of the
total: 205
1,524 to 2,437 m: 19
914 to 1,523 m: 95
under 914 m: 91 (2002)
Congo, Republic of the
total: 27
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 11 (2002)
Cook Islands
total: 6
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002)
Costa Rica
total: 121
914 to 1,523 m: 28
under 914 m: 93 (2002)
Cote d'Ivoire
total: 29
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 8 (2002)
Croatia
total: 43
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 34 (2002)
Cuba
total: 91
914 to 1,523 m: 28
under 914 m: 63 (2002)
Cyprus
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Czech Republic
total: 100
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 36
under 914 m: 62 (2002)
Denmark
total: 76
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 71 (2002)
Djibouti
total: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 3 (2002)
Dominican Republic
total: 17
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 10 (2002)
East Timor
total: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Ecuador
total: 144
914 to 1,523 m: 31
under 914 m: 113 (2002)
Egypt
total: 18
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 9 (2002)
El Salvador total: 78 914 to 1,523 m: 17 under 914 m: 61 (2002)
Equatorial Guinea total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Eritrea
total: 14
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Estonia
total: 24
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 6 (2002)
Ethiopia
total: 69
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 4
1,524 to 2,437 m: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 32
under 914 m: 21 (2002)
Europa Island
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)
total: 3
under 914 m: 3 (2002)
Fiji
total: 24
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 18 (2002)
Finland
total: 76
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 72 (2002)
France
total: 204
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 74
under 914 m: 128 (2002)
French Guiana
total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 5 (2002)
French Polynesia
total: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 5 (2002)
Gabon
total: 47
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 24 (2002)
Gaza Strip
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Georgia
total: 18
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 7 (2002)
Germany
total: 223
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 31
under 914 m: 189 (2002)
Ghana
total: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Glorioso Islands total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Greece total: 13 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 10 (2002)
Greenland total: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Guadeloupe
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Guam
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Guatemala total: 455 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 115 under 914 m: 330 (2002)
Guinea
total: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Guinea-Bissau
total: 25
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 20 (2002)
Guyana
total: 43
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 34 (2002)
Haiti
total: 10
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 6 (2002)
Honduras total: 103 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 18 under 914 m: 83 (2002)
Hungary
total: 32
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 16
under 914 m: 8 (2002)
Iceland
total: 73
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 21
under 914 m: 49 (2002)
India
total: 102
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 42
under 914 m: 48 (2002)
Indonesia total: 478 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 25 under 914 m: 450 (2002)
Iran
total: 187
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 138
under 914 m: 39 (2002)
Iraq
total: 73
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 24
914 to 1,523 m: 28
under 914 m: 11 (2002)
Ireland
total: 20
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 17 (2002)
Israel
total: 24
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 20 (2002)
Italy
total: 38
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 18
under 914 m: 18 (2002)
Jamaica total: 24 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 22 (2002)
Jan Mayen total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Japan
total: 31
over 3047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 26 (2002)
Jordan
total: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Juan de Nova Island
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Kazakhstan total: 428 over 3,047 m: 11 2,438 to 3,047 m: 19 1,524 to 2,437 m: 44 914 to 1,523 m: 103 under 914 m: 251 (2002)
Kenya
total: 211
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 113
under 914 m: 83 (2002)
Kiribati total: 16 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 4 (2002)
Korea, North total: 38 2,438 to 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 18 914 to 1,523 m: 11 under 914 m: 7 (2002)
Korea, South
total: 33
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 31 (2002)
Kuwait
total: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Kyrgyzstan total: 50 2,438 to 3,047 m: 3 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 36 (2002)
Laos
total: 42
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 26 (2002)
Latvia
total: 16
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 10 (2002)
Lebanon
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Lesotho
total: 24
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 20 (2002)
Liberia
total: 45
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 34 (2002)
Libya
total: 78
over 3,047 m: 5
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 14
914 to 1,523 m: 39
under 914 m: 18 (2002)
Lithuania total: 65 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 5 under 914 m: 57 (2002)
Luxembourg total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of
total: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 4 (2002)
Madagascar
total: 92
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 46
under 914 m: 44 (2002)
Malawi
total: 37
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 22 (2002)
Malaysia
total: 79
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 6
under 914 m: 72 (2002)
Maldives
total: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 3 (2002)
Mali
total: 19
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 8 (2002)
Marshall Islands total: 11 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Martinique total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Mauritania total: 16 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 6 under 914 m: 3 (2002)
Mauritius total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Mexico
total: 1,592
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 69
914 to 1,523 m: 454
under 914 m: 1,067 (2002)
Micronesia, Federated States of
total: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Moldova
total: 28
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 12 (2002)
Mongolia
total: 40
over 3,047 m: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 13
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 12 (2002)
Morocco
total: 37
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 11 (2002)
Mozambique
total: 143
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 16
914 to 1,523 m: 35
under 914 m: 91 (2002)
Namibia
total: 114
2,438 to 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 22
914 to 1,523 m: 71
under 914 m: 19 (2002)
Nepal
total: 36
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 28 (2002)
Netherlands
total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 5 (2002)
New Caledonia
total: 21
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 9 (2002)
New Zealand
total: 67
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 26
under 914 m: 39 (2002)
Nicaragua
total: 165
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 23
under 914 m: 141 (2002)
Niger
total: 18
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Nigeria
total: 34
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 13
under 914 m: 18 (2002)
Northern Mariana Islands
total: 3
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Norway
total: 36
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 29 (2002)
Oman
total: 133
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 55
914 to 1,523 m: 37
under 914 m: 32 (2002)
Pakistan total: 37 1,524 to 2,437 m: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 19 (2002)
Palau
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)
Palmyra Atoll
total: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Panama
total: 62
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 50 (2002)
Papua New Guinea
total: 470
1,524 to 2,437 m: 11
914 to 1,523 m: 56
under 914 m: 403 (2002)
Paraguay
total: 868
1,524 to 2,437 m: 27
914 to 1,523 m: 323
under 914 m: 518 (2002)
Peru
total: 184
1,524 to 2,437 m: 23
914 to 1,523 m: 61
under 914 m: 100 (2002)
Philippines
total: 175
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 71
under 914 m: 99 (2002)
Poland
total: 62
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 15
under 914 m: 43 (2002)
Portugal
total: 26
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 25 (2002)
Puerto Rico
total: 12
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 10 (2002)
Qatar
total: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Romania
total: 39
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 25 (2002)
Russia
total: 2,272
over 3,047 m: 28
2,438 to 3,047 m: 118
1,524 to 2,437 m: 204
914 to 1,523 m: 324
under 914 m: 1,598 (2002)
Rwanda
total: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 3 (2002)
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Samoa
total: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Saudi Arabia total: 138 over 3047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 79 914 to 1,523 m: 39 under 914 m: 13 (2002)
Senegal
total: 11
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 4
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Serbia and Montenegro
total: 26
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 12
under 914 m: 12 (2002)
Seychelles
total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 4 (2002)
Sierra Leone
total: 9
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Slovakia
total: 17
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 7 (2002)
Slovenia
total: 10
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 3
under 914 m: 5 (2002)
Solomon Islands
total: 30
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 20 (2002)
Somalia
total: 54
2,438 to 3,047 m: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 18
914 to 1,523 m: 30
under 914 m: 3 (2002)
South Africa
total: 584
1,524 to 2,437 m: 34
914 to 1,523 m: 298
under 914 m: 252 (2002)
Spain
total: 59
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 14
under 914 m: 43 (2002)
Spratly Islands total: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Sri Lanka total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Sudan
total: 51
1,524 to 2,437 m: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 24
under 914 m: 10 (2002)
Suriname
total: 41
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 35 (2002)
Svalbard total: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Swaziland
total: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 10 (2002)
Sweden
total: 100
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 90 (2002)
Switzerland
total: 25
1524 to 2437 m: 1
under 914 m: 24 (2002)
Syria
total: 68
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 55 (2002)
Taiwan
total: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Tajikistan total: 53 over 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m: 36 (2002)
Tanzania
total: 112
1,524 to 2,437 m: 18
914 to 1,523 m: 60
under 914 m: 34 (2002)
Thailand
total: 49
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 17
under 914 m: 31 (2002)
Togo
total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 5
under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Tonga
total: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 2
under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Trinidad and Tobago total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Tromelin Island total: 1 under 914 m: 1 (2002)
Tunisia
total: 16
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 7 (2002)
Turkey
total: 34
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 24 (2002)
Turkmenistan
total: 63
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 5
914 to 1,523 m: 10
under 914 m: 41 (2002)
Turks and Caicos Islands total: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Tuvalu total: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (2002)
Uganda
total: 23
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 6
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 7 (2002)
Ukraine
total: 608
over 3,047 m: 14
2,438 to 3,047 m: 36
1,524 to 2,437 m: 50
914 to 1,523 m: 42
under 914 m: 466 (2002)
United Arab Emirates
total: 19
over 3,047 m: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 3
914 to 1,523 m: 9
under 914 m: 5 (2002)
United Kingdom total: 136 2438 to 3047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 22 under 914 m: 112 (2002)
United States total: 9,670 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 1,524 to 2,437 m: 158 914 to 1,523 m: 1,702 under 914 m: 7,802 (2002)
Uruguay
total: 49
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 16
under 914 m: 31 (2002)
Uzbekistan total: 246 over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 12 under 914 m: 211 (2002)
Vanuatu total: 27 914 to 1,523 m: 10 under 914 m: 17 (2002)
Venezuela total: 246 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 97 under 914 m: 139 (2002)
Vietnam
total: 23
over 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 2
914 to 1,523 m: 8
under 914 m: 12 (2002)
Wallis and Futuna total: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
Western Sahara total: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 914 to 1,523 m: 4 under 914 m: 3 (2002)
Yemen
total: 28
over 3,047 m: 2
2,438 to 3,047 m: 7
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 11
under 914 m: 4 (2002)
Zambia
total: 98
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1
1,524 to 2,437 m: 4
914 to 1,523 m: 63
under 914 m: 30 (2002)
Zimbabwe total: 413 1,524 to 2,437 m: 4 914 to 1,523 m: 197 under 914 m: 212 (2002)
This page was last updated on 18 December, 2003
@2032 Environment - current issues
Afghanistan
limited natural fresh water resources; inadequate
supplies of potable water; soil degradation; overgrazing;
deforestation (much of the remaining forests are being cut down for
fuel and building materials); desertification; air and water
pollution
Albania
deforestation; soil erosion; water pollution from industrial
and domestic effluents
Algeria
soil erosion from overgrazing and other poor farming
practices; desertification; dumping of raw sewage, petroleum
refining wastes, and other industrial effluents is leading to the
pollution of rivers and coastal waters; Mediterranean Sea, in
particular, becoming polluted from oil wastes, soil erosion, and
fertilizer runoff; inadequate supplies of potable water
American Samoa
limited natural fresh water resources; the water
division of the government has spent substantial funds in the past
few years to improve water catchments and pipelines
Andorra
deforestation; overgrazing of mountain meadows contributes
to soil erosion; air pollution; wastewater treatment and solid waste
disposal
Angola
overuse of pastures and subsequent soil erosion attributable
to population pressures; desertification; deforestation of tropical
rain forest, in response to both international demand for tropical
timber and to domestic use as fuel, resulting in loss of
biodiversity; soil erosion contributing to water pollution and
siltation of rivers and dams; inadequate supplies of potable water
Anguilla
supplies of potable water sometimes cannot meet increasing
demand largely because of poor distribution system
Antarctica
in 1998, NASA satellite data showed that the antarctic
ozone hole was the largest on record, covering 27 million square
kilometers; researchers in 1997 found that increased ultraviolet
light coming through the hole damages the DNA of icefish, an
antarctic fish lacking hemoglobin; ozone depletion earlier was shown
to harm one-celled antarctic marine plants; in 2002, significant
areas of ice shelves disintegrated in response to regional warming
Antigua and Barbuda
water management - a major concern because of
limited natural fresh water resources - is further hampered by the
clearing of trees to increase crop production, causing rainfall to
run off quickly
Arctic Ocean
endangered marine species include walruses and whales;
fragile ecosystem slow to change and slow to recover from
disruptions or damage; thinning polar icepack